COMMUNITYGRANTS.

The Arthritis Foundation of the ACT offers information, support and exercise programs for people living with musculoskeletal conditions. They provide vital support for children living with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA), raising public awareness about a disease that gains little recognition from health care providers. This Community Grant will support the development of a JIA information and wellbeing app, which will improve the quality of life of more than 5,000 people, including affected children and their families. The app is a cost-effective way to provide up-to-date information across Australia, connecting communities online to create a safe space where people can share information and gain much-needed support.

The Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) – $9,000

AIME supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students at 17 high schools in the ACT to succeed in university, employment or further education. The organisation aims to give Aboriginal students the same educational and life opportunities as all Australians, through partnerships with local universities as well as an outreach program to reach remote locations. This Community Grant will enable AIME to transport students from school to the Australian National University and the University of Canberra where it holds its programs. This will enable the program to be offered to 300 students in 2016, double the number of Indigenous students currently involved.

Autism Spectrum Australia – $9,812

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is Australia's leading autism services provider. Aspect helps more than 10,000 people with autism and their families each year to achieve the best possible opportunities, by providing children with vital supports to reach their unique potential and succeed in later life. Aspect has the largest autism-specific schools program in the world, with eight independent schools, more than 100 satellite classes and over 1,000 students. This Community Grant will allow Aspect to offer its Upskilling Families and Professionals in Autism Support training to 40 parents, and to health and education professionals. The training consists of one-day workshops and home visits, and enables families and professionals to provide the best care for children with autism as they develop social and emotional skills, and transition into school.

Camp Quality – $10,000

Camp Quality is a national charity that helps about 3,000 families across Australia and 325 in the ACT. They aim to create a better life for children aged 0–13 years living with cancer, by providing practical and emotional support throughout diagnosis and treatment. The organisation builds a supportive and positive network for children and their families through programs that incorporate education, performance and recreation. This Community Grant will enable the organisation to offer support to three newly diagnosed children and their families for a year, ensuring they have access to Camp Quality's full range of services close to their home during this stressful time.

CanTeen – The Australian Organisation for Young People Living with Cancer – $9,790

CanTeen supports young people who have been diagnosed with cancer or have a sibling with cancer, enabling them to cope with the physical, emotional and practical impacts of this devastating disease. The organisation provides specialist hospital care, counselling and individual assistance as well as information and peer support programs designed for the unique needs of young people. This Community Grant will support the ACT and Southern New South Wales Five-Day Psychosocial Program, providing a unique opportunity for 35 young people to share their experiences in a safe and supportive environment. The program will provide participants with much-needed respite and peer support for their cancer experience, contributing to better mental health and wellbeing as they embark on their adult lives.

Friends of the Brain Injured Children ACT – $9,400

Friends of the Brain Injured Children ACT (FBIC) supports families of children aged up to 18 years old living with disability and brain injury. The organisation provides information, networking and support for 55 families across the ACT. They also offer financial assistance for families suffering financial hardship to enable them to access vital therapies for their child. This Community Grant will fund the Evolving Brain — Workshop Series, which aims to research and introduce emerging relevant high-impact, short-term therapies that will directly benefit disabled children. The program will inform, educate and help FBIC members so they can help their child overcome immediate health problems and improve their wellbeing.

Indigenous Reading Project – $10,000

The Indigenous Reading Project partners with teachers and parents all over Australia to help engage and improve Indigenous students’ performance and education outcomes using mobile technology and incentives. The Project delivers support and assistance to 300 primary and secondary school students who are behind their peers but have the capacity and desire to improve. This Community Grant will fund the organisation’s e-Literacy program, which aims to improve the reading ability of 200 students and boost literacy across urban, regional and bush communities. The program allows students to borrow electronic reading devices customised with e-book choices that have clear goals and positive incentives to encourage them to read more.

Oz Harvest – $9,800

Oz Harvest rescues excess food from the food industry to feed communities at risk, diverting good food from landfill and providing support to charitable organisations. They also provide nutritional education and training in charities and among marginalised members of the community with no other access to information about health and diet. This Community Grant will help Oz Harvest’s Fresh Focus program to deliver an additional 20,000 meals of wholesome, fresh rescued food from donors including ALDI, Costco and the Southside Farmers Markets to charitable services in the Australian Capital Territory and Queanbeyan, for distribution to children and young people.

The Shepherd Centre - For Deaf Children – $9,900

The Shepherd Centre has helped thousands of children who are deaf or hearing impaired to improve their listening and speaking skills. A world leader in the field of auditory-verbal therapy, the Foundation provides parents with the tools, strategies and methods they need to teach their children to listen, understand the meaning of sound, and to speak. This Community Grant will allow the Shepherd Centre to offer its Sing and Grow Music program for deaf children in the Australian Capital Territory region. Through the program, families will be given hands-on experience on how to use music therapy to help alleviate their child’s disability. The program is run by a qualified therapist and will allow 40 children to listen to pitch, duration and intensity of music to learn to develop their speech and language.

Active Opportunities delivers structured and safe sports programs for at-risk youth and for people with a disability, at no cost to the participants. Active Opportunities works with local police, organisations and schools to identify children and youth who would benefit from participating in structured physical activity. This Community Grant will support the Ability Counts program, which welcomes people with a disability aged 5–18 years. It offers a range of activities and sports to increase participation and encourage healthy living through fundamental skills such as throwing, jumping, and running. The program gives children the chance to have fun, increase fitness and develop skills, while providing much-needed respite for carers

Allambi Care – $9,600

Allambi Care teams with other organisations to provide the best care for children placed in out-of-home care. Allambi provides suitable long-term placements for children with foster carers that it recruits and trains, as well as residential and disability housing for children with particular needs or in temporary care. This Community Grant will help fund Allambi’s Play Therapy for Traumatised Children program for 12 children aged 5–12 who have been exposed to abuse, neglect or trauma, and have been placed in out-of-home care. The program offers 12 sessions for the child and four sessions for the carers, and helps these children to work through their trauma in a safe and supportive environment that helps build resilience and improve emotional wellbeing.

Amputee Association of Sydney – $9,250

The Amputee Association of Sydney helps new amputees and people with congenital limb difference of all ages. The Association offers opportunities for peer support and information through organised social and educational events for members, family and friends. This Community Grant will enable 30 teenagers to attend Teen Amp Camp, Australia’s only camp for teens with limb loss or congenital limb difference. Incorporating workshops with games and creative activities, it gives teens from all over Australia an opportunity to meet others with amputation in a supported environment, easing their sense of isolation.

Arnold Tink House – $8,000

Ronald McDonald House Westmead (RMHW) aims to provide a home away from home for seriously ill children and their families from regional and remote areas of NSW or interstate, while they undergo treatment at Westmead Hospital. The current Westmead facility has 18 rooms on the Hospital campus, with five apartments nearby, allowing 109 people to stay at the House on any one night. This Community Grant will help RMHW’s Meals from the Heart program to provide a much-needed service to families who are supporting their sick children. This ensures healthy nutrition for families who often don't have the energy, time or funds available to prepare a healthy, home-cooked meal.

Assistance Dogs Australia – $9,750

Assistance Dogs Australia is a small national charity that trains Labradors and golden retrievers to help people with disability increase their freedom and independence. The organisation’s clients range from adults with quadriplegia or cerebral palsy, to veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and children with autism. This Community Grant will allow Assistance Dogs Australia Autism Support Dogs to provide 65 children with autism with special harness kits for their assistance dog. These harness jackets have handles and leashes that allow the dog to be a physical anchor for the child. This will help improve the child’s motor skills and confidence, keeping them safe and making sure the dog is comfortable.

Australian Refugee Volunteers – $7,200

Australian Refugee Volunteers (ARV) provides regular and ongoing recreational and developmental programs to asylum seeker children and families living in community immigration detention in Sydney. They also offer support and assistance to refugee families in the community who have experienced torture and trauma. This Community Grant will support the Teens Program, which operates 12 days throughout the year. Twenty-five asylum seeker children aged 12–17 are buddied with an ARV volunteer for a day of educational and developmental excursions. This not only aids the children's integration into the Australian community, but also the community's involvement with asylum seekers.

BaptistCare NSW/ACT – $3,500

Domestic Violence Advocacy Service Chisholm provides crisis and transitional housing for women and children escaping domestic violence, to empower them with life skills in a safe and supportive environment. This Community Grant will support the Say No to Violence program, which will provide a Children's Card for 1,500 children aged 7-12 experiencing violence in the home. The Children's Card contains phone numbers and a safety plan for children if there is a violent incident. The Children's Card will be launched at a local school with activities to appeal to children.

Barnardos Australia, Queanbeyan Indigenous Learning Centre – $10,000

Barnardos Australia is a leading child protection charity that works with family members to provide children with the best possible home life. The organisation helps build resilience for children to deal with issues such as violence, poverty, mental illness, and social disadvantage. If it is not safe for a child to stay with their birth family, Barnardos finds loving homes through foster care and adoption. This Community Grant will help the Queanbeyan Indigenous Learning Centre to provide a unique, fun and safe environment for 35 at-risk Indigenous children. By offering an after-school program of educational and recreational activities, the centre aims to improve social wellbeing, build self esteem and connect children with their culture. The Centre also provides healthy meals, tutoring, transport and referrals to other services if needed.

Barnardos Australia, Youth off the Bench program – $9,888

Barnardos Australia is a leading child protection charity that works with family members to provide children with the best possible home life. The organisation helps build resilience for children to deal with issues such as violence, poverty, mental illness, and social disadvantage. If it is not safe for a child to stay with their birth family, Barnardos finds loving homes through foster care and adoption. This Community Grant will enable the Youth off the Bench program to target 30 at-risk young people living on one of the most disadvantaged public housing estates in New South Wales, who are at severe risk of dropping out of school. The program re-engages them with education and pathways to employment. It provides mentoring and support with school work, and builds self confidence and vital life skills to help young people resolve personal issues and trauma.

Be Centre Foundation – $10,000

Be Centre supports children and families whose lives have been affected by trauma, abuse, neglect, mental illness and other emotional or family issues. Their unique Play Therapy program offers a safe environment for children to express themselves and make sense of their emotions. This Community Grant will provide Play Therapy scholarships for five of the most needy and traumatised children from the northern suburbs and Northern Beaches of Sydney, who because of financial hardship wouldn’t be able to afford vital therapeutic services. Each child will take part in a 12-week program, which includes an individual weekly 40-minute Play Therapy sessions, to help restore their trust and build self confidence.

Bateau Bay Neighbourhood Centre is a community-based charity situated in a large social housing estate. The Centre provides information, support and referral services to the local community, many of whom are single parent families struggling to make ends meet. This Community Grant will go toward the Student Homework and Life Skills Support program. The current Homework program provides Maths and English group tutoring run by a qualified paid teacher and volunteer assistants to children from grades 1 to 7. The program will expand to include a Life Skills mentoring session one day a week for children from grades 6 to 9, teaching the children basic living skills like personal care, cooking and career advice.

Black Dog Institute – $6,778

Black Dog Institute is an internationally recognised pioneer in the diagnosis, treatment, early intervention and prevention of depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and suicide. The organisation is also at the forefront of e-Health, delivering affordable and accessible online mental health tools, interventions and treatments. Approximately one in five Australians experiences mental illness each year, with young people most at risk. This Community Grant will help Black Dog Institute extend its Youth Clinic Services to regional Australia, allowing an extra 250 appointments each year. This project will provide technology for a Skype-based clinic service to offer remotely located families ongoing treatment for their young person. It will also allow more frequent appointments and enable all family members to attend sessions, strengthening relationships and support within the family.

Boys' Town Engadine – $8,640

Dunlea Centre is a unique family preservation service targeting at-risk 12 to16 year olds from the Sydney Metropolitan and Illawarra areas. Attendees have complex mental health problems including behavioural, social and emotional regulation issues, which often include learning difficulties and developmental delays. The program offers a residential living program and a day education program for six to 12 months, and includes counselling, behaviour intervention, social and emotional support. This Community Grant will enable the Dunlea Centre to offer its Life Skills program to 32 young people, offering them practical opportunities to develop and practise essential living and social skills. The program will help them re-engage with their families and transition back into mainstream school or find employment.

The Buttery – $8,400

The Buttery is a long-term residential addiction treatment facility that also conducts community outreach programs in the New South Wales Northern Rivers Region. Its programs are for teenagers and adults with mental health, substance misuse or gambling issues, or who may be at risk. This Community Grant will allow The Buttery to offer its Therapeutic Mixed Martial Arts program to disadvantaged young teenagers in Casino. The program uses Gestalt psychotherapy, martial arts and goal setting techniques to give young people the opportunity for personal growth. The pilot program, which has been operating in Lismore for six months, has resulted in a decrease in violent and anti-social behaviour, increased respect for peers and people in authority, and improved work and school participation.

Camp Quality, Shoalhaven and Eurobodalla – $10,000

Camp Quality is a national charity that helps about 3,000 families across Australia. They aim to create a better life for children aged 0–13 years living with cancer, by providing practical and emotional support throughout diagnosis and treatment. The organisation builds a supportive and positive network for children and their families through programs that incorporate education, performance and recreation. This Community Grant will enable the organisation to offer support to three newly diagnosed children and their families for a year, ensuring they have access to Camp Quality's full range of services close to their home during this stressful time.

Camp Quality, Tweed Heads Family Camp – $9,500

Camp Quality is a national charity that helps about 3,000 families across Australia. They aim to create a better life for children aged 0–13 years living with cancer, by providing practical and emotional support throughout diagnosis and treatment. The organisation builds a supportive and positive network for children and their families through programs that incorporate education, performance and recreation. This Community Grant will allow children living with cancer and their families to spend a weekend at Tweed Heads Family Camp where they can reconnect, relax and enjoy quality family time together. It will also give families a safe and supportive environment to meet with and form lasting friendships with others going through a similar journey.

Camp Quality, Regional Family Camp – $9,500

Camp Quality is a national charity that helps about 3,000 families across Australia. They aim to create a better life for children aged 0–13 years living with cancer, by providing practical and emotional support throughout diagnosis and treatment. The organisation builds a supportive and positive network for children and their families through programs that incorporate education, performance and recreation. This Community Grant will enable siblings of children with cancer to go a Regional Family Camp where they can spend quality time with their parents — one of the greatest unmet needs for these children. 70 Family Camps are held every year over two days and two nights on weekends, providing opportunities for more than 700 families to reconnect and relax.

Camp Quality, Stanwell Tops Family Camp – $9,920

Camp Quality is a national charity that helps about 3,000 families across Australia. They aim to create a better life for children aged 0–13 years living with cancer, by providing practical and emotional support throughout diagnosis and treatment. The organisation builds a supportive and positive network for children and their families through programs that incorporate education, performance and recreation. This Community Grant will allow siblings of children with cancer to spend quality time with their parents at the Stanwell Tops Family Camp. Held for two days and nights over the weekend, the camp provides a range of recreational and educational activities aimed at building optimism and resilience.

Cancer Patients Foundation – $9,375

The Cancer Patients Foundation runs Look Good Feel Better, a free community service program dedicated to teaching cancer patients how to manage the appearance-related side effects caused by cancer treatment. Look Good Feel Better workshops include sessions on skin care, makeup, wigs and head coverings to help patients cope with side effects including skin changes, eyebrow loss and hair loss. Each participant receives a Confidence Kit, full of skincare and cosmetic products to use as tools for application throughout the workshop. This Community Grant will enable Look Good Feel Better to reach out to at least half of the newly diagnosed, teenage cancer patients at the Children's Hospital at Westmead. This will re-invigorate the teens program to help even more girls and boys manage the physical side effects of cancer treatment, for improved self esteem and confidence.

CanTeen, Sydney and Central NSW – $10,000

CanTeen supports young people who have been diagnosed with cancer or have a sibling with cancer, enabling them to cope with the physical, emotional and practical impacts of this devastating disease. The organisation provides specialist hospital care, counselling and individual assistance as well as information and peer support programs designed for the unique needs of young people. This Community Grant will support a three-day CanTeen camp for around 50 young people from Sydney and Central New South Wales living with cancer or with a family member who has cancer. Through discussions, recreation activities and workshops, it will provide participants with much-needed respite and peer support for their cancer experience, contributing to better mental health and wellbeing.

Canterbury Vale School – $9,000

Canterbury Vale School is a small special education facility in Lakemba, South-Western Sydney that caters for students from grades 7 to 10, who typically demonstrate challenging behaviours in the classroom. The school provides intensive educational and social support for 21 students from disadvantaged, low socio-economic and non-English speaking backgrounds who are operating below stage level academically. This Community Grant will assist Canterbury Vale School’s Woodworking Skills Program, which provides woodwork training and skills building from its purpose-built industrial arts classroom. The initiative will build skills, confidence and employability, while giving students confidence, helping them stay engaged and develop opportunities to pursue post school options.

The Care Van Foundation – $9,700

The Care Van Foundation aims to feed, support and educate the homeless, the disadvantaged and young people in need across rural, regional and remote Australia. Meals are prepared and delivered to designated public sites by vans in Albury, Wodonga, Wangaratta and Blacktown. This Community Grant will enable the Care Van Sun Smiles Program to teach children aged 5–13 years good oral health by engaging children through puppetry, story-telling and hands on workshops. It will also provide fluoride varnish to reduce decay, and offer dental screening and referral for further care. This will help promote oral health and preventive dental care to disadvantaged families within the community.

Catherine Sullivan Centre – $9,950

Catherine Sullivan Centre helps children aged up to 6 years with hearing impairment, providing early intervention and support services to them and their families. The Centre’s programs empower children to develop the language, speech and social skills necessary to achieve mainstream education and reach their potential. This Community Grant will support ongoing essential speech pathology services for 26 young children, combining assessment and therapy for individual goal setting and intervention strategies. The objective is to help children communicate better with those around them, so that they can benefit from greater participation in their communities and families and lead richer and more fulfilling lives.

Catholic Family Welfare Services – $3,980

Catholic Care Wollongong offers families and individuals opportunities for growth, healing, resilience and hope through counselling, care and support services. Their Family and Sibling Support program focuses on enhancing the mental health and wellbeing of the brothers and sisters of children with a disability or chronic illness. This Community Grant will support the SIBS Boot Camp, a series of four educational sessions and a retreat day for 5–12 year old siblings of children with a disability. This project will provide a forum for learning about disability and developing skills and strategies for situations at home or school that can cause stress, tension, frustration or embarrassment. The program will help 40 children living between Helensburgh and Kiama in New South Wales.

Central Coast Kids in Need – $10,000

Central Coast Kids in Need is a small volunteer group of 20 fundraisers who help families with sick children being treated in Sydney and Newcastle hospitals cover accommodation costs. A large proportion of these children are cancer patients, premature babies, children undergoing bone marrow or organ transplants, or children with spina bifida or cystic fibrosis. This Community Grant will help cover accommodation costs for Central Coast families while their children stay in hospitals in Sydney and Newcastle. This support is vital in relieving the financial strain of illness, as the daily cost of accommodation ranges from $35 to $149 per night. The organisation also pays travel costs for these trips and subsequent visits after the child is released from hospital.

Child Abuse Prevention Service Sydney – $7,000

The Child Abuse Prevention Service (CAPS) assists thousands of families in crisis, abused children, struggling parents, adult survivors of abuse and professionals working with children, and offers the only national telephone service dedicated to child abuse prevention in Australia. CAPS also operates a range of education initiatives and support services aimed at parents and community organisations. This Community Grant will enable CAPS’ primary prevention program, Stay Safe for Kids, to be implemented at childcare centres. The program will give 500 pre-school children an age-appropriate understanding of the community resources and a network of trusted adults available to them. It will also help children to develop protective behaviours, self-esteem, leadership and resilience.

The Child Protection Foundation – $10,000

The Child Protection Foundation aims to protect children by educating them about the dangers of physical, sexual and emotional abuse. The Foundation also educates adults about how to identify the behaviour of children in abusive situations and the practices perpetrators use on their victims. This Community Grant will help the organisation to deliver its Breaking the Silence – A Child Abuse Education Initiative. It aims to provide every secondary school in New South Wales with a short film on DVD and an accompanying university-prepared study guide, which covers the issue of sexual abuse within a family unit. This will help children learn behaviours to stay safe or break the cycle of abuse.

The Big Feed – $9,695

The Children's Food Education Foundation aims to reduce the risk and incidence of diet related disease by educating and empowering children and young people to make mindful food choices. Their youth brand, The Big Feed, engages with young people through food education, food enterprise and social innovation. This Community Grant will fund the Youth Food Enterprise program, a collaboration with Youth off the Streets that will educate young people about living skills, food security and small business via a youth-led, skill development program and a food social enterprise. The program will use technology to deliver learning and provide young people with opportunities to communicate with a global audience in a supportive and stimulating environment.

Crossroads Community Care Centre – $9,632

Crossroads Community Care Centre is a community centre providing support, casework and counselling for disadvantaged and isolated members of the community. The Centre also runs a women's refuge and helps connect people in need with government services such as tax help and Work and Development Orders. This Community Grant will assist the Integrated Parent/Child Recovery from Domestic Violence program for up to 24 children at risk in the community. The program is an integration of The Royal Melbourne Children's Hospital Family Violence Program and the Australian Childhood Foundation Parenting Program, and addresses the effects of family domestic violence on children to improve their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Delta Society Australia – $10,000

Delta Society Australia promotes and facilitates positive bonds between people and companion animals that comfort the sick in hospitals and aged care facilities, and enable children to build confidence. The society also teaches children about dog safety, and promotes reward-based training methods to create contented pets. This Community Grant will enable the organisation to deliver its Delta Classroom Canines program, designed to help children who need support with literacy skills. A volunteer and their accredited dog visit a school every week, establishing an ongoing relationship with participating grade one and two students and their teachers. The children read aloud to dogs, improving their reading skills and their self-confidence.

Disability South West – $5,000

Disability South West supports people living with disability, by offering care, respite, skills training, and information to people with an acquired brain injury. The organisation also provides a toy library in Liverpool NSW for children with special needs and the general community. This Community Grant will support Disability South West’s Noah's Ark Toy Library Saturday Program, giving working families the opportunity to access the valuable resources at the toy library by keeping it open on Saturday. Children with disabilities are given priority at the library, which also helps other disadvantaged groups within the community.

Edmund Rice Services – $9,150

Edmund Rice Camps NSW provides holiday and recreational experiences for young people living in disadvantaged circumstances. These camps bring together children from disadvantaged backgrounds in a fun and positive environment, and pair them with young adult volunteer mentors. Incorporating sports, recreation, excursions, and educational activities, the camps aim to build children’s self-esteem and resilience, while fostering peer relationships and encouraging learning. This Community Grant will allow Edmund Rice Camps to deliver the Spring Siblings Camp to 25 children who have been separated by foster care, are step-siblings, or whose relationship has been harmed by their dysfunctional home life. The camp is run with support from 30 volunteers, and the grant will cover volunteer training and a post-camp activity day.

Elm Grove Sanctuary – $10,000

The Elm Grove Sanctuary Trust provides support to disadvantaged individuals and communities through educational programs, with particular focus on children and youth. The organisation has a strong commitment to Australia’s First People, and offers programs designed to help close the gap for Aboriginal children within the mainstream educational system. This Community Grant will support the reopening of the Wallaga Lake Aboriginal Study Centre Study program, which provides after-school assistance for Aboriginal children, helping them with homework and providing resources for craft and art activities. The program helps Aboriginal children facing extreme poverty, with many in foster care or lacking any resources in the home to be able to complete their homework or study.

Feel the Magic – $10,000

Feel the Magic (FTM) works to brighten the lives of children who have lost someone they love. FTM helps children explore and understand their grief with peers sharing a similar circumstance, to continue to grow, develop resilience and succeed despite their loss. This Community Grant will enable Feel the Magic to run its first Camp Magic, a two-day grief camp in New South Wales in September 2015. The camp is for children aged 7–17 who have lost an immediate family member, and is run by a qualified psychologist, supported by trained professionals and volunteers. The camp will include several therapeutic group sessions to help children develop long-lasting coping strategies to deal with grief and loss.

Giant Steps Sydney – $10,000

Giant Steps Sydney is a school located in Gladesville catering specifically for children with autism. The school’s holistic program includes high-level intensive programs for children and young people aged 2–18, and combines occupational therapy, speech therapy and music with teaching and education. This Community Grant will support the Stress in the Classroom: Increasing Engagement and Wellbeing program, which educates teachers in how to identify and support stress and anxiety in students with autism. It aims to reduce the incidence of co-occurring anxiety that affects many children with autism, which will help enhance student engagement, learning and wellbeing.

Good Beginnings Australia – $10,000

Good Beginnings gives children in vulnerable communities the opportunity for the best start in life, by providing 140 effective early intervention and practical parenting programs across Australia. Good Beginnings programs are customised, community-integrated and free to families in need. They range from supported playgroups and literacy programs to fathering initiatives, home visits for new parents, and intensive family support. This Community Grant will help the Claymore Child and Family Support Group by providing the Ready, Set, School program — an 8-week transition program offered once a week for children about to begin kindergarten. Through the program, 450 children will develop early literacy, numeracy and school readiness skills. Families will also have access to educational toys, books and resources through a mobile book and toy library to ease children's transition into school life.

Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand – $10,000

Good Shepherd aims to break the intergenerational cycle of disadvantage for women and girls and helps more than 1,300 young women in New South Wales each year. The organisation’s services include family violence support and refuges, early intervention and prevention for students at risk of disengaging from education, and alternative education for students who struggle in mainstream education. Good Shepherd also offers parenting workshops and counselling services. This Community Grant will enable the delivery of the Sydney Young Parents Program, to help 40 young parents break the cycle of disadvantage by helping them develop positive parenting skills and giving them the skills, knowledge and support networks necessary to be the best parents they can. The program offers parents case management, practical assistance, and workshops to help them form and maintain positive relationships with their children.

Gunawirra – $10,000

Gunawirra is a group of professionals who run projects for more than 40 preschools in outback New South Wales with Aboriginal children aged 3–5, to empower children with knowledge about self care, culture and community. The group has created a program called the Five Big Ideas — Health and Hygiene; Nutrition; My Culture, My identity; Handling Tough Times At Home; and My Environment, My Country, My Self Respect. This Community Grant will fund ‘Here Comes the Chef!’, a program that aims to improve the lives of 150 Aboriginal families in the Minimbah complex on the outskirts of Armidale. A chef will come three days a week to make meals for the children, teach mothers to cook and help the children create a booklet of recipes and art.

Hear for You – $10,000

Hear for You is a mentoring organisation that runs workshops for deaf, hard of hearing and hearing impaired teenagers in high school. The organisation aims to redress the issues of low self esteem, isolation and poor self confidence experienced by many deaf and hard of hearing teenagers, by boosting their engagement with home and school life. This Community Grant will allow these teenagers to access the Hear for You Program, and benefit from mentoring and peer support. In addition to learning life skills and coping strategies, the young people will be inspired to set their own goals and work to achieve them.

The Helmsman Project – $10,000

The Helmsman Project aims to empower young people of all socio-economic, ethnic and cultural backgrounds to flourish and fully achieve their potential. The Project provides direct relief for disadvantaged adolescents who are identified as being at-risk. The organisation is unique in combining scientific research with a systemic approach to validate enduring outcomes. This Community Grant will support 100 young people to be involved in The Helmsman Project, a nine-month program with an intensive 13-week core delivery phase. It has been designed specifically for Year 9 adolescents at risk of not fulfilling their potential due to socio-economic pressures. The project will build life effectiveness skills through personal coaching and adventure education in a supportive environment.

The Humpty Dumpty Foundation – $10,000

The Humpty Dumpty Foundation provides essential and often life-saving medical equipment for children attending 229 hospitals and health services around Australia. The Foundation also delivers funding to special medical training and education projects, as well as hospital visits and recreational spaces to improve the quality of children’s hospital experiences. This Community Grant will enable the Humpty Dumpty Foundation to purchase a life-saving piece of medical equipment for a new facility at the Royal North Shore Hospital. The addition of this equipment will potentially benefit around 20,000 children admitted to the Emergency Department each year.

Hunter Connect Families – $9,735

Hunter Connect aims to support and engage families affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and similar neurological disorders in the Hunter region. They work with children and families to overcome the negative effects of ASD by empowering them to feel connected and make a difference in the community. This Community Grant will fund the Secret Agent Social Skills Development program, which teaches children and teens on the Autism Spectrum how to interact socially and understand emotions. By developing new social and emotional coping mechanisms, young people with ASD will experience improved social wellbeing and health, and be encouraged to interact positively with their peers and families.

The Kalandan Foundation – $10,000

The Kalandan Foundation operates Brumby Camps for troubled and disadvantaged youth. Approximately six young people aged 13-18 attend each camp, accompanied by a social worker. The camps are held multiple times a year for about five days. The young people are taught by a nationally recognised horse trainer on how to engage with a brumby using patience and assertiveness, without aggression. This Community Grant will allow 30 vulnerable children to experience the Brumby Camp. The curriculum is based on psychological findings on the benefits of equine assisted therapy, and helps the children to reassess and make positive changes in their lives. They also learn trust and respect, and gain valuable skills in setting goals and managing difficult situations.

The KidzFix Foundation – $10,000

The KidzFix Foundation, based in Sydney, raises money to assist sick children and enable them to access vital equipment and treatment. KidzFix Shoalhaven is raising money to purchase and equip a Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS) Ambulance to be based in a town in the South Coast. This ambulance will cost around $190,000. This Community Grant will go toward purchasing the NETS Ambulance and equipping it with lifesaving equipment. This is an essential service for premature babies and critically ill children up to the age of 16 years, either to transport these children to major Sydney children's hospitals or to transport them safely to an area where they can meet a helicopter or aircraft for air transport.

KYDS Youth Development Service – $9,640

KYDS aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of adolescents by providing both early intervention, and responsive supportive, mental health services that are free and easily accessed. KYDS’ core service is confidential one-to-one counselling for teenagers, and their parents or carers, provided by specialist staff psychologists. This Community Grant will support KYDS’ Paying Attention to Self (PATS) — a fun, engaging support program for young people aged 12–18 who have a family member with a mental illness. The initial eight-week program provides information, resources, skills, support and respite for these at-risk teens, and is followed by regular PATS group reunion events and ongoing one-to-one counselling support.

Life Changing Experiences Foundation – $10,000

Life Changing Experiences Foundation's core initiative is the SISTER2sister program, a year-long mentoring program for Australia's most vulnerable, marginalised teenage girls. The program, which has been running in Sydney for 12 years, uses positive role models to help break the cycle of abuse and neglect. The Foundation also provides counselling support for current and past graduates of the SISTER2sister program, as well as a range of opportunities for scholarships, work experience and seminars. This Community Grant will help fund the SISTER2sister program for 30 Australian teenage girls from the Sydney Metropolitan and Greater West Region, who have been subjected to abuse, neglect or trauma. Girls are given a mentor as a positive role model with whom they attend an intensive risk management program as well as enjoying fun activities together. After the program, the Foundation continues to support the girls with counselling services through its Butterfly Support program and other opportunities.

Lifeline Macarthur – $10,000

Lifeline Macarthur supports Australians to be resilient and suicide-safe. The organisation provides support services to promote emotional wellbeing and build community capacity in South West Sydney, Macarthur and the Southern Highlands. This Community Grant will fund Lifeline Telephone Crisis Supporter Training, which will help provide suicide prevention services through training telephone crisis volunteers on the 13 11 14 line. It will enable three young people aged 18–21 to become fully qualified Lifeline crisis telephone supporters through the organisation's accredited training program. The line is a safe and non-judgmental environment for Australian youth to seek help and remove the stigma associated with mental health issues.

Little Heroes Swim Academy – $10,000

Little Heroes provides aquatic education and swim programs. As well delivering mainstream Learn to Swim Programs, Babies and Toddler Programs, Arms Reach at the Beach, and Surfsquad programs, they also provide one-on-one lessons for children with a disability, tailored to their individual needs. This Community Grant will enable Little Heroes to offer subsidised Learn to Swim and aquatic education classes to 32 kids who live in the Sutherland Shire and have a disability. The lessons will be conducted by an instructor specialising in teaching swimming to children with a disability and will cater to the needs of each child. Families unable to afford lessons may receive free instruction through the Nicolas Kesler Scholarship.

Little Wings – $10,000

Little Wings aims to provide a free, safe, and high quality flight service for children from rural and regional NSW suffering from serious illnesses, to access specialised medical services at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Bear Cottage at Manly and the John Hunter Children’s Hospital Newcastle. Its support reduces the financial burden, emotional strain and travel fatigue for seriously ill children and their families and carers during treatment. Since its inception in September 2012, the organisation has provided 339 flights helping almost 800 people. This Community Grant will help the Little Wings Flight Program increase the number of free flights for paediatric patients and their families from rural and regional NSW to 400 flights annually, providing essential transport services for around 1,000 people.

Lutanda Children's Services – $10,000

Lutanda runs holiday camps for 14,000 children with developmental disabilities, providing them with a unique holiday experience that they would otherwise be excluded from. The organisation offers activities tailored to campers’ individual level of ability, while providing parents and carers with a week of respite to enable them in their support role. This Community Grant will facilitate Camp Jono, an annual Lutanda event for 70 children with developmental disabilities. It aims to give children the opportunity for a unique holiday experience with one-on-one care to cater for their individual needs, and activities aimed at campers’ varying levels of ability.

Mental Health Support Group – $9,930

The Mental Health Support Group (MHSG) is a local charity that partners with community, government and health agencies to provide welfare and support for children and adults living with mental illness, ensuring they are treated with dignity and respect. MHSG gives talks and presentations on mental illness to reduce stigma and raise awareness and understanding. The Group assists clients with furnishings and household goods, facilitates monthly children’s outings, and provides practical help such as toiletry packs, clothing, reading material, gifts and Christmas hampers for adult and child inpatients. This Community Grant will help set up a Music Therapy room in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Unit, the only inpatient treatment in the north coast for up to 150 young people aged 9–18 with emotional and psychological difficulties.

Muscular Dystrophy Association of NSW – $10,000

Muscular Dystrophy NSW aims to improve the quality of life for all people living with a neuromuscular condition in New South Wales through research, information, support, and direct services. The Association works closely with people with Muscular Dystrophy (MD) and their families and carers to provide the most effective and needed support and services. This Community Grant will enable 30 young people aged 14 to 21 with MD from the Newcastle and Hunter region to achieve the Duke of Edinburgh's Award. This Award helps give these young people life challenges and sense of achievement, to enhance their emotional wellbeing. They will learn new skills, increase their education and employment opportunities, gain independence, connect to the community through volunteering, and become more physically active.

National Centre of Indigenous Excellence – $10,000

The National Centre of Indigenous Excellence collaborates on and facilitates the design, development and delivery of life-changing programs and breakthrough learning experiences through arts and culture, health and wellness, learning and innovation, and sport and recreation. The organisation currently has more than 20 programs running through five enterprises in collaboration with over 20 partners. This Community Grant will allow the National Centre of Indigenous Excellence to hold Friday Night Live, an after-hours youth program to help 500 young people, most of whom are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, from around Redfern, Waterloo, Glebe and Darlinghurst. The 12 to 18 year olds will develop skills and experience emotional, social and cultural wellbeing while enjoying a healthy, nutritious dinner. The program ensures these children spend Friday night (the highest crime period for young people) in a culturally safe space, with healthy role models.

NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors – $6,185

The NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma (STARTTS) helps survivors of torture and refugee trauma to begin their healing journey. STARTTS also assists individuals and organisations that work with the 24,000 humanitarian refugees who have arrived in New South Wales in the past five years by providing effective and culturally sensitive services. This Community Grant will help STARTTS deliver the Monkey Tales early childhood program, aimed at helping 200 children of refugee and asylum seeking families avoid lifelong mental health problems. The program is run by specialist early childhood counsellors and empowers children to overcome the ordeals of being exposed to war or torture, being born or living in refugee camps and transitioning to a new country. The program will use a series of fun and meaningful song stories available in multiple languages.

Sisters of Charity Outreach, St Vincent's Clinic – $9,750

Outreach is a multi-faceted community service organisation, which helps vulnerable women and families in need within New South Wales. The organisation is committed to excellence in compassionate care, through the provision of a diverse range of professional, flexible and responsive services. This Community Grant will support the Sisters of Charity Outreach Safe Haven Refuge which provides short-term 24 hour crisis accommodation for women and children escaping domestic violence. It also offers counselling for children and homework assistance to help them keep up with their schooling during crisis periods. It offers child-minding while mothers attend court, provides safe play equipment, an age-appropriate playroom area and healthy meals.

Oz Harvest – $10,000

Oz Harvest rescues excess food from the food industry to feed communities at risk, diverting good food from landfill and providing support to charitable organisations. The organisation also provides nutritional education and training in charities and among marginalised members of the community with no other access to information about health and diet. This Community Grant will help Oz Harvest deliver the NEST Youth Outreach Greater Western Sydney program, which involves up to six workshops to 50 vulnerable children and youth aged 13 to 21. The young people will learn how plan and prepare simple, nutritious low-cost meals that minimise food waste. The workshops follow Australian Healthy Eating Guidelines, are hands on, educational and socially inclusive.

The Peer Support Foundation – $10,000

The Peer Support Foundation’s Program is a preventative student leadership and wellbeing program which empowers more than 500,000 students across Australia to help each other and create strong support networks. The Foundation equips students to support peers in their life and learning challenges. This Community Grant will allow the development of an online Implementation Training eLearning module, which allows teachers from remote area schools to learn how the program could work in their school context online. This eliminates the costs of travel and finding a replacement teacher for the day.

Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW, Bathurst – $9,010

Police Citizens Youth Clubs (PCYC) bring together communities and the NSW Police in outreach to young people at risk of involvement in crime, engaging them in sports, education and recreational activities. The organisation aims to promote the welfare of young people as responsible citizens by supporting individual and social activities that develop skills and leadership with the objective of youth crime prevention. This Community Grant will support The Pit Stop Café Program, a learning and development program designed for young offenders and youth at risk at the Bathurst PCYC. The program helps to engage young people positively with the community while providing a service to the patrons of the Bathurst PCYC. The program also gives disadvantaged youth aged 15–18 the necessary qualifications, skills, experience and confidence required to apply for work in the hospitality sector.

Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW, Singleton – $1,000

Police Citizens Youth Clubs (PCYC) bring together communities and the NSW Police in outreach to young people at risk of involvement in crime, engaging them in sports, education and recreational activities. The organisation aims to promote the welfare of young people as responsible citizens by supporting individual and social activities that develop skills and leadership with the objective of youth crime prevention. This Community Grant will support Avenues to Army, an eight-week program of crime prevention workshops, self-esteem workshops and field-based activities delivered by members of the Defence Force at Singleton Army Base. This project aims to contribute to the reduction of crime committed by young offenders and provide employment pathways into the Australian Defence Force.

Police Citizens Youth Clubs NSW, St George – $10,000

Police Citizens Youth Clubs (PCYC) bring together communities and the NSW Police in outreach to young people at risk of involvement in crime, engaging them in sports, education and recreational activities. The organisation aims to promote the welfare of young people as responsible citizens by supporting individual and social activities that develop skills and leadership with the objective of youth crime prevention. PCYC St George has a well equipped gym and is the home of the Kostya Tszu boxing academy, running martial arts activities including Taekwon Do, Aikido and Judo. This Community Grant will support the St George PCYC Youth Centre to host, promote and mentor eight programs, including police youth mentoring, employment motivation, health knowledge and empowerment for young women.

Raise Foundation, Ballina ­– $9,820

Raise Foundation provides mentoring programs for more than 1,500 young Australians facing profound challenges, including mental and sexual health issues, substance misuse and teen pregnancy. They have also trained around 700 volunteers to be professional mentors across their programs: Bump, Youth Connections, Career and In School Mentoring Opportunity (ISMO). This Community Grant will help fund Raise Foundation’s structured mentoring program, BUMP, supporting pregnant and parenting girls aged 13–23. Many mentees depend on welfare or are in poorly paid jobs, get little support from family and friends, have mental health issues or are at risk of domestic violence. BUMP is a TAFE Certificate I course that provides 20 weekly mentoring sessions by an older, experienced mother, and nine workshops on employment pathways. It aims to build life skills and promote health and nutrition, positive mental health and healthy relationships.

Raise Foundation, Umina – $9,820

Raise Foundation provides mentoring programs for more than 1,500 young Australians facing profound challenges, including mental and sexual health issues, substance misuse and teen pregnancy. They have also trained around 700 volunteers to be professional mentors across their programs: Bump, Youth Connections, Career and In School Mentoring Opportunity (ISMO). This Community Grant will allow Raise to offer its ISMO mentoring program for high school students in Years 7-10 at risk of disengaging from school, providing them with the skills, opportunities, belief and confidence to finish school. Qualified Program Counsellors supervise TAFE accredited volunteer mentors to provide individual mentoring at the school for one hour a week for 20 weeks.

Raise Foundation, Killara – $9,820

Raise Foundation provides mentoring programs for more than 1,500 young Australians facing profound challenges, including mental and sexual health issues, substance misuse and teen pregnancy. They have also trained around 700 volunteers to be professional mentors across their programs: Bump, Youth Connections, Career and In School Mentoring Opportunity (ISMO). This Community Grant will allow Raise to offer its ISMO mentoring program to high school students in Years 7-10 at risk of disengaging from school to give them the skills and confidence to finish school. Qualified Program Counsellors supervise TAFE accredited volunteer mentors to provide individual mentoring at the school for one hour a week for 20 weeks.

Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children – $9,804

The SCIC Cochlear Implant Program is a Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC) service. The Service provides Australia’s largest and most comprehensive program of cochlear implantation and allied health services to hearing impaired children of all ages. Services range from early intervention through to specialist assessment; surgical liaison and support; and rehabilitation services. This Community Grant will enable the SCIC Cochlear Implant Program to buy specialist equipment for its Liverpool Centre. This equipment will help make sure potential recipients for a cochlear implant receive proper diagnosis and testing, and ensure quality on-going monitoring and adjustments.

Schizophrenia Fellowship of NSW – $10,000

Carer Assist is a service of the Schizophrenia Fellowship of New South Wales which works with Hunter New England Local Health District to provide information, education, advocacy and support to families, friends and carers of people with a mental illness. This Community Grant will help support Young Carer Fun Days for Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI) aged 8–18, and a yearly camp in the New England and Manning Areas. This will provide much-needed respite for COPMI, who are at higher risk of suffering mental illness due to the stress of their caring role. This program aims to put in place early intervention strategies while providing peer support and access to information and resources in a fun and supportive environment. It also fosters resilience, and reduces the stigma associated with mental illness.

The Shepherd Centre - For Deaf Children – $9,750

The Shepherd Centre has helped thousands of children who are deaf or hearing impaired to improve their listening and speaking skills. A world leader in the field of auditory-verbal therapy, the organisation provides parents with the tools, strategies and methods they need to teach their children to listen, understand the meaning of sound, and to speak. This Community Grant will allow the Shepherd Centre to use its Unveiling Deafness – Empowering Families with Deaf Children program for 160 parents of newly diagnosed deaf children. The program is designed to help these parents overcome the grief phase, understand their child’s hearing loss, come to terms with the challenges ahead and develop the necessary skills to support their child's needs.

SHINE for Kids – $10,000

SHINE for Kids works with and for children and young Australians affected by family member involvement in the criminal justice system. SHINE provides opportunities for young people who have been disadvantaged through the incarceration of a parent, nurturing their growth and empowering them to reach their potential on a new life journey. This Community Grant will help the SHINE for Kids Prison Invisits Program, which aims to alleviate the trauma experienced by children visiting prison. It provides engaging activities during their visit with their parent to increase wellbeing and resilience while strengthening family bonds.

Sir David Martin Foundation – $9,200

Sir David Martin Foundation (SDMF) supports vulnerable young people aged 12–24. Its range of youth support services empower young people to get back on their feet and find pathways to education and employment, to live a healthy, productive life. This Community Grant will support SDMF’s Accredited Vocational Training program at Triple Care Farm, a rehabilitation facility for 100 disadvantaged young Australians with addiction and mental illness. The program offers first aid and forklift driving training, giving students a nationally-recognised certificate and licence, opening up employment opportunities.

The Smith Family – $10,000

The Smith Family works in 97 communities across Australia, helping young Australians facing disadvantage to build better futures for themselves. The Smith Family helps children and young people in need with long-term support, using the power of education through its Learning for Life program to lift them out of disadvantage, while strengthening their families and communities. This Community Grant will allow the Smith Family to provide five tertiary scholarships to financially disadvantaged Learning for Life students in Sydney who are now studying at university or TAFE. The student will receive direct help with the cost of education-related expenses. They will also have the support of a Learning for Life worker who can monitor their progress, help them access other services and provide programs and mentors when needed.

Southern Community Welfare – $5,520

Southern Community Welfare (SCW) works to develop and provide services that address harm prevention. SCW supports those who have been emotionally, sexually and physically abused and who are suicidal or self-injuring, with the aim of reducing at risk behaviours and increasing protective behaviours. This Community Grant will enable SCW to offer Season for Growth to 250 young people aged 6–15 who have experienced significant grief and loss through death, divorce or separation. This eight-week program will be delivered to schools in the Sutherland Shire, to help young people develop resilience and coping strategies and improve their academic and life outcomes.

St Francis Social Services – $5,000

St Francis operates an adolescent counselling and support service at the Come In Youth Resource Centre in Paddington. The Centre provides therapy, advocacy and practical assistance to disadvantaged young people living in the inner city of Sydney, addressing homelessness, mental illness, poverty and juvenile crime. This Community Grant will support the Strength Through Resilience, Identity, Validation and Empowerment program (STRIVE), an eight-week program targeting young people aged 12–14 who are at risk of disengaging from school. This adventure-based program includes activities aimed at improving the mental and physical wellbeing by increasing self-esteem and strengthening children’s support systems.

St Lucy's School – $10,000

St Lucy’s School in Wahroonga is an independent Catholic Primary School for children with moderate to profound disabilities, including cognitive impairment, autism, vision or hearing impairment, or multiple disabilities with complex medical needs. St Lucy’s also runs satellite classes in mainstream schools on the Northern Beaches. The school offers these children intensive, technology-supported instruction, experience in the creative arts and a community life that fosters friendships and is full of joy. This Community Grant will go toward the Special Needs Family Psychological Support Program, which provides a psychologist to help students and support teachers and families through the Individual Education Plan process. The program helps develop social skills and anxiety management programs, offers counselling and support to students and families, sibling support programs, crisis support and assistance with behaviour support.

St Vincent De Paul Society NSW, Lismore Central Council – $10,000

The St Vincent de Paul Society is a leading provider of community support services and offers more than 100 specialised services. Its local networks have 5,000 members and are present in 414 communities across NSW. They assist people experiencing disadvantage by providing practical and financial help, counselling, emotional support and referral services. This Community Grant will support the Buddies Day Program run monthly throughout the Lismore Diocese - Tweed Heads to Port Macquarie. The program enables children aged 6–12 years to take part in a recreational activity such as the zoo, mini-golf, movies or bowling and participate in life-skills workshops to learn about healthy eating, exercise, peer pressure, good decision making and bullying. Buddies Days offer disadvantaged children a break from hardships and provide valuable respite time for parents and carers.

Starlight Children's Foundation Australia – $9,945

The Starlight Foundation works to ease the loneliness and isolation experienced by seriously ill children during their stay in hospital. Offering a wide variety of games and activities, the Foundation seeks to build the child’s core sense of self by providing distraction from the pain and stress of their treatments while the Starlight Wish Granting creates meaningful experiences and supports the child’s quality of life. This Community Grant will help fund the Starlight Express Rooms, medical-free havens that give sick kids and their families a break from the relentless cycle of medical treatments and procedures. The rooms are filled with laughter, fun and enjoyable activities and the programs are also delivered to the bedsides of children too sick to leave their beds. The Starlight Express Rooms and programs will help improve the quality of life for 47,000 sick babies, toddlers, children and teenagers and their families.

Steve Waugh Foundation – $10,000

The Steve Waugh Foundation is committed to improving the quality of life of children affected by rare diseases, through a coordinated approach to identification, treatment and research. The Foundation gives hope by providing vital medicine, equipment and treatment, while supporting education and research in partnership with like-minded agencies and organisations. They also offer financial assistance to children and their families who are unable to obtain funding from any other source, organisation or agency. This Community Grant will allow an extra three families to participate in the Special Needs Unlimited Group Camp during the year. The camps create a fun and supportive environment for children to build strong peer relationships, and allow parents time to relax from their role as around-the-clock carers.

Stewart House – $9,888

Stewart House provides a free and safe haven for 1,800 children who visit for 12 days each year, where they receive dental, optical, hearing and medical screening and treatment. The children also take part in educational programs and excursions designed to develop their social and emotional skills, build self-esteem and improve their overall wellbeing. This Community Grant will allow children from outback New South Wales to visit Stewart House. School principals from public schools in the Far West region of New South Wales will nominate 40 children in need of a break from their current circumstances. These include children who are experiencing economic disadvantage, too many carer responsibilities, are not in parental care, are in homes where there is mental illness or are in crisis.

StreetWork – $10,000

StreetWork is a not-for-profit, community based organisation that focuses on prevention and early intervention strategies for at-risk youth aged 11–18. The organisation engages with communities to identify those young people affected by substance abuse, violence, homelessness, or disengagement from education and employment, and empowers them to turn their lives around. This Community Grant will enable StreetWork to offer its KickStart Mentoring Program to 100 at-risk young people. The program is a goal-focused, intensive case management program, for disadvantaged young people to achieve their potential. Each participant has an individually developed case management plan which motivates them to reach their short and long term goals.

The Sydney Children's Hospitals Network – $10,000

The Children’s Hospital at Westmead is world-renowned for providing quality care for sick children and their families. A department of the hospital, the Children’s Hospital Education Research Institute (CHERI) conducts research and provides clinical services that promote children’s health and wellbeing. This Community Grant will enable The Back on Track program implemented by CHERI, to help school-aged children diagnosed with cancer maintain an educational and social connection with their school and peers. The Program’s coordinators provide tutoring, help children keep up-to-date with schoolwork and allow them to stay in touch with their friends. Schooling promotes a sense of normalcy for these children and gives hope for the future. The program also supports parents by providing guidance and advice regarding educational issues.

Sydney Local Health District, RPA Newborn Care – $8,593

Sydney Local Health District supports RPA Newborn Care, based at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. They provide a neonatal intensive care unit for sick newborn babies born at the hospital, as well as newborn babies transferred from hospitals across NSW. RPA Newborn Care has developed and expanded into a world class neonatal intensive care department, offering one of the highest levels of intensive care available in Australia to 900 newborns each year. This Community Grant will fund the purchase of a portable video laryngoscope, a vital piece of lifesaving equipment that will allow doctors to accurately and safely put a tube into a baby's trachea so that they can breathe through a ventilator.

Sylvanvale Foundation – $10,000

Sylvanvale Foundation aims to give children with an intellectual disability a better quality of life. The Foundation provides a wide range of services including accommodation, day programs, education, supported employment, respite and early therapy interventions. These services are delivered by more than 600 dedicated staff and volunteers including teachers, therapists, community health professionals and childcare workers. This Community Grant will support Teen Time – Leaps and Bounds, the social and physical activity component of an afterschool and respite program for 80 youth aged 8–17 with an intellectual disability. The program helps reduce pain, anxiety and tension, and foster social interaction through sensory activities, improving peer-to-peer relationship building skills.

Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia – $10,000

The Tourette Syndrome Association of Australia (TSAA) provides information to educators, school in-services, parents, carers and the community to help create understanding of the syndrome. TS sufferers have motor and vocal tics, often made more challenging with accompanying conditions such as OCD, ADHD, learning disabilities, behavioural problems and depression. Children with TS face rejection daily by their peers and the community. TSAA programs reduce the stigma of TS and help society better understand this neurological disorder, as well as teaching TS sufferers coping strategies to better manage their condition. This Community Grant will help TSAA subsidise the cost of its 2016 National Weekend Camp for children with TS and their families. The camp will provide mentorship, informal counselling sessions for children, siblings and parents, and self-esteem building exercises.

UnitingCare NSW and ACT – $10,000

UnitingCare provides a range of services to children, young people with disabilities and their families across NSW and the ACT. They are the only service-provider in the Singleton area offering community based activities and respite care to children and young people with disabilities with complex needs. The organisation’s goal is to enable children with disability to enjoy social inclusion and similar opportunities to their peers in their local community. This Community Grant will support the Singleton Celebrate Ability Afternoon Respite, which provides children with education and recreational activities. These activities give parents a break, expand the children's range of experiences and help break the limitations of a disability. The program will improve balance, co-ordination, social skills and coping mechanisms and encourage independence.

Variety the Children's Charity NSW – $10,000

Variety the Children’s Charity is committed to empowering more than 27,000 children across New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs. By giving practical equipment, programs and experiences, Variety helps children in need to overcome whatever obstacles they face. This Community Grant will support Variety’s Vision for Life (VFL) system that enables medical specialists from Newborn and Paediatric Emergency Transport Service (NETS) to connect with doctors in remote hospitals. The installation of VFL will enable Nepean Hospital to have 24-hour access and coaching with specialists at NETS at the world renowned Westmead Hospital through a visual conference call system.

Vision Australia – $9,000

Vision Australia is the nation's largest provider of services for adults and children living with blindness or vision impairment. Incorporating mobility training, medical care and advocacy, the organisation’s person-centred programs are designed around the needs of each child to give them the best opportunity for independence and full participation in their communities. This Community Grant will allow Vision Australia to deliver Feelix Tactile Book Kits to an additional 87 children living with low vision or blindness. These kits engage readers in a sensory storytelling experience with tactile, audio and braille elements, and will allow young library members to enjoy the pleasure of reading, while developing their learning and literacy skills

Women in Prison Advocacy Network – $10,000

Women in Prison Advocacy Network (WIPAN) aims to assist and empower women and female youth affected by the criminal justice system, by providing gender-responsive social support that fosters a positive self-identity. They are the only organisation in New South Wales solely addressing the many issues these women and female youth face. This Community Grant will support the strengths-based Youth Mentoring Program (YMP) helping female youth aged 14–21, both before and after they are released from juvenile detention. It provides practical mentoring and support to reduce their risk of re-offending, improve their social connections and enable them to positively contribute to their community.

Wyong Neighbourhood Centre – $2,070

Phoenix Youth Support Service (PYSS) is a project of the Wyong Neighbourhood Centre, offering case management, mentoring, support, and referral to disadvantaged young people aged 12–18. PYSS offers practical activities and programs, including help with accommodation, resume writing and finding employment, gaining education, and legal support. They also work with youth to build relationship skills and develop self esteem and wellbeing. Wyong Neighbourhood Centre partners with other youth agencies to offer a range of mental health services for young people. This Community Grant will allow PYSS to offer Sticks and Strings, a strengths-based mentoring program, which allows economically disadvantaged young people to learn to play the guitar or drums. The program will give 50 young people free access to musical instruments, training, and workshops for two eight-week periods.

Youth off the Streets – $9,800

Youth off the Streets provides extensive frontline support services and innovative programs for around 7,800 chronically homeless and marginalised young people in Sydney and throughout NSW. The organisation operates a food van, outreach programs and alternative education for disadvantaged youth, as well as a crisis refuge and mental health services to help address their physical and emotional needs. This Community Grant will support the Parramatta Koori Court Support program, developed in response to the high number of Aboriginal young people involved in Western Sydney’s juvenile justice system. An experienced Aboriginal Services team will work with the Koori Youth Court to support Indigenous youth throughout legal processes, providing one-on-one mentoring, service referrals, advocacy, and participation in cultural learning and community activities.

The Cancer Council aims to reduce the impact of cancer on Northern Territorians by providing information, education, and emotional and practical support to anyone affected by cancer. The Council also delivers health promotion and cancer prevention programs to schools, early childhood services, workplaces and the general community. This Community Grant will be used to encourage primary and middle schools to join the Council’s SunSmart Program, which has helped prevent more than 100,000 skin cancers and over 1,000 deaths nationally. Children are in school when daily UV radiation levels are at their peak, so schools are a great place to educate them about sun protection to reduce their risk of skin cancer.

Kintore St School Council – $9,960

Kintore Street School caters for 29 students aged 4–18 who have moderate to severe physical and intellectual disabilities, as well as six students from the surrounding communities who attend the school for respite care. The school provides programs that cover each student’s individual needs, including academic, therapy, life skills and employment pathways. This Community Grant will enable the school to set up an Immersing in Reading Program. The program will develop students’ literacy skills by providing low-level readers that will engage the students to improve their reading. This will assist them to complete vocational training courses and increase their future chances of employment.

Life Education NT – $10,000

Life Education NT delivers high-quality health and drug education programs, empowering young people to make healthy choices and reach their full potential. They work with children aged 3–15 across the Northern Territory, from early learning centres to middle school students, helping 10,000 young people in the area. This Community Grant will help allow Life Education NT’s mascot Happy Healthy Harold to visit Central Arnhem Land schools, and deliver interactive health education programs to promote positive wellbeing. The program will address a range of issues including exercise and nutrition, sun safety, peer pressure and bullying, drugs and alcohol, and staying safe online. It will also engage older students to act as role models and encourage them to help educate their younger peers.

Riding for the Disabled in the Top End – $8,500

Riding for the Disabled in the Top End is dedicated to providing the opportunity for people with disabilities, youth at risk, community groups and volunteers in the greater Darwin area to participate in equestrian and related activities in a safe and supportive environment. This Community Grant will support the Horse Mastership Certificate in Equine Facilitated Learning, which uses interaction between horses and people to promote experiential learning. Among those who will benefit are children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Bi-polar, ADHD, ADD and Down Syndrome, as well as bullying and abuse victims. All of these groups have responded well to positive interaction with horses, learning about problem solving, social interaction and leadership in a positive and rewarding setting.

St John Ambulance Australia Northern Territory – $10,000

St John Ambulance Australia provides first aid, health and education services across the Northern Territory. They aim to ensure that first aid is a part of every Territorian's life, by delivering quality first aid training and providing the Road Ambulance service across the Northern Territory, while the commercial division offers first aid solutions for industry. This Community Grant will support the First Aid in Schools Program for more than 12,500 school-aged students from Year 1 to Year 8. The program offers tailored, interactive and engaging first aid training, specially developed to suit different age groups, and promotes positive and confident action by children in the case of emergencies.

Aunties and Uncles Queensland is an early intervention mentoring program helping vulnerable and socially disadvantaged children aged 1–11 living in the greater Brisbane and Gold Coast regions. They make a positive difference to these children’s lives by creating and delivering unique one-to-one mentoring relationships with responsible adults. Each mentorship lasts for a minimum of 12 months, with many relationships continuing well beyond this. This Community Grant will enable Aunties and Uncles Queensland to facilitate 120 new mentorships for vulnerable children. The program provides the child with attention, care and new experiences, creating long term, systemic change and opportunity for the next generation.

Autism Gold Coast – $8,527

Autism Gold Coast is dedicated to assisting parents, families and carers of people diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). They provide support, information and advocacy to enable parents, carers, families and people with ASD to be resilient, connect with others and form valuable networks across the local community. This Community Grant will help provide a Sibling and Autistic Teenagers Drop-In Centre for siblings of all ages and autistic teenagers, the only one of its kind in the area. This facility will offer a safe space for young people with ASD and their siblings to relax and engage in activities while forming supportive peer relationships.

Calamvale Special School – $5,648

Calamvale Special School is a prep to Year 12 school, catering for students from Logan City and South Brisbane City Councils who have an intellectually disability. These students require alternative programs with significant adult support in a school environment that meets the individual needs of each student. This Community Grant will fund a trip to Canberra for 17 of the school’s students. This project provides a supported opportunity for students and 10 carers to travel interstate, an experience they may not otherwise have access to. The trip will contribute to the emotional wellbeing of students and carers and create long lasting memories.

Callide Dawson Special Needs Support Group – $6,000

Callide Dawson Special Needs Support Group (CDSNSG) supports people with a disability or with identified or special needs. They provide services, equipment and materials to enhance the learning, development, or rehabilitation of people with a disability and special needs, in partnership with allied organisations and colleagues. This Community Grant will be used to update an aging fleet of therapeutic tricycles designed for youth aged 3–13 who have a disability. These tricycles allow the children to learn and develop skills and gain physical benefits in the safe environment of the Banana Shire Community Resource Centre.

Carers Queensland – $10,000

Carers Queensland aims to represent the diverse needs and interests of carers in Queensland. They provide a range of vital support services, available to any person providing unpaid care to a family member or friend who has a disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness or who are frail or aged. This Community Grant will enable The FNQ Young Carers Project to provide continuing support for 25 young carers living in Cairns and surrounding areas, as well as enabling one or two events each school holiday for school aged young carers. This will give young people respite from their caring roles and allow them to participate in fun, age-appropriate activities, while gaining skills and information to strengthen their resilience.

Chiselhurst Kindergarten Association – $7,000

Chiselhurst Kindergarten offers an approved kindergarten program for three to five year olds from the local area and up to 50 kilometres from the school. The kindergarten places a great deal of importance on children being involved in outdoor play, physical activity and connecting to the natural environment. This Community Grant will allow the Kindergarten to install Playground Shade Sails to cover a large area in its western playground, which is exposed at the hottest part of the day. All children will have access to this area each day as well as family and community members at regular times throughout the year. The sails are part of a large shade structure that provides 99% UVR protection, allowing the children to play in a safe and comfortable environment.

Community Services Tablelands – $7,315

Community Services Tablelands aims to support people in need and encourage the community to help each other. They offer a wide range of services from counselling and mental and social health intervention programs to practical help and economic management. This Community Grant will enable the Rural Operations, Leadership and Education (ROLE) program to provide employment skills to youth, by offering training in jobs that have prospects on the Tablelands, while promoting positive interpersonal interactions. Participants will finish the course with a TAFE Certificate 3 in Rural Operations, and obtain First Aid certificates, a White Card and experience real life job placements.

Currimundi Special School – $10,000

Currimundi Special School provides educational programs for students aged 5–18. All students have intellectual disability, with many students having physical or vision impairment, hearing impairment and autism. All programs aim to help students develop the knowledge and skills they need to thrive at school and in the community. This Community Grant will provide a wheelchair hoist for a replacement bus that Currimundi Special School and its Parents and Citizens Association are purchasing. This will allow all students to access community-based learning, enabling them to develop the knowledge and skills they will need to make a successful transition into adult life.

Currumbin Beach Vikings Surf Life Saving Club – $2,400

Currumbin Surf Life Saving Club (CSLSC) encourages people to become involved in surf lifesaving and surf sport activity, to help serve and protect the community’s beaches. The club delivers essential lifesaving and surf training directly to about 400 youth aged 5–21 every day. They also train active beach patrollers, and provide sports training for recreational and competition levels. This Community Grant will enable the CSLSC Youth Development Lifesaving Training Program to offer a one-week intensive learning course for youth to gain their Certificate II Bronze Medallion Award, enabling them to become qualified surf lifesavers. It will result in the addition of 40 qualified young lifesavers at Currumbin SLSC, who will play a vital role keeping Currumbin beach safe while learning lifelong skills to help them stay active and healthy.

Equity Works Association – $10,000

Equity Works provides ongoing support to more than 150 families and individuals with disability across the Sunshine Coast, and an additional 55 families in a Queensland-wide respite program. They aim to build independence and foster social inclusion, to create strong communities with full participation by people with disability. This Community Grant will support the Youth Works program to bring together 10 young men — five with disability and five without — and provide opportunities for them to have meaningful social engagement, foster positive relationships and build their skills.

Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation – $9,699

The Far North Queensland Hospital Foundation provides support and funding for the activities and services of the Cairns Hospital, and Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service. They help fund modern equipment and facilities, and facilitate education, training and research through the provision of support services. This Community Grant will allow the Foundation to provide Sunset Movies for hospitalised children and their families in the playground at the Cairns Hospital Children’s Ward. The funding will provide a movable screen which can also be used to screen movies in the adolescent lounge. This will provide interactive learning experiences for students, as well as touch screen learning activities for younger children.

Gold Coast Hospital Foundation – $10,000

Gold Coast Hospital Foundation supports the local Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service and raises funds for health projects, medical equipment and research. The Foundation will often provide equipment to make treatment easier, less stressful and faster for patients, especially children. This Community Grant will enable the Foundation to establish the first Pre-School Lung Function Testing Service on the Gold Coast. They will purchase an airwave oscillometry system, which is the most effective means of testing children for breathing illnesses as they only need to breathe normally through a mouthpiece to produce accurate results.

Gold Coast Youth Orchestra – $10,000

The Gold Coast Youth Orchestra's mission is to educate, foster and support artistic excellence in a nurturing environment. In addition to high quality orchestral training and performance, the Youth Orchestra allows young people to develop life-long skills such as leadership, problem-solving, teamwork, organisation and presentation skills. Each year, the Gold Coast Youth Orchestra conducts or hosts 20 community concerts. This Community Grant will provide a Sun Safe Outdoor area where the Orchestra welcomes guests and provides refreshments, protecting them from blazing sun and rain.

Horizon Housing Company – $10,000

Horizon Housing delivers social and affordable housing options to homeless, vulnerable or disadvantaged people in need of secure housing. They aim to alleviate housing stress and reduce the incidence of homelessness, by creating connected neighbourhoods and communities. This Community Grant will support the Horizon Housing Scholarship Scheme, a new initiative designed to help youth access education pathways at an early age. The Scheme will target young people aged 5–21 who are Horizon Housing tenants or their dependants, to prevent the cycle of disadvantage between unemployment and homelessness.

Ipswich Hospice Care – $10,000

Ipswich Hospice is a seven-bed healthcare facility, providing high quality palliative care and bereavement services to terminally ill people and their families in a caring home-like environment. Through their neighbouring Community Centre, they offer bereavement support services to adults and children dealing with loss of a loved one. Ipswich Hospice also provides education and support to health professionals and the community on palliative care, death, loss and grief. This Community Grant will fund the employment of a new paid facilitator to replace the retiring volunteer facilitator for The Kids Grief Services Program. The program is a seven-week program led by trained leaders that provides group support for bereaved children and youth aged 6–14.

Key Assets Queensland – $9,500

Key Assets provides foster placements for children and young people with high and complex needs throughout Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. They aim to deliver high quality care in a family setting, through holistic support services and intensive training delivered to the carer and the child. This Community Grant will support Keeping It Real, a learning and lifestyle camp for 30 young people in foster care. Because these young people have complex needs and are often unable to attend mainstream school or other events, they miss out on some life and learning experiences many children take for granted. Keeping It Real gives them the opportunity to have fun and make new friends in a safe and supportive environment.

MADEC – $10,000

MADEC delivers vital support services to people with a disability and youth at risk. Their John E. Smith Respite House provides a caring and nurturing environment for young people aged up to 25 years with multiple disabilities, while daytime and drop in services help young people learn important life skills. This Community Grant will enable the Sensory Room Project for the John E. Smith Respite Home, giving clients a safe and therapeutic space that is calming and engaging. The Sensory Room helps them avoid or control tantrums, reassures the young person and relieves stress and anxiety through different sound, textures and sights.

The Mater Foundation – $9,695

The Mater Foundation does vital work to raise funds for the Mater Hospitals and Mater Research, by arranging for individuals, organisations and businesses to partner with the Mater to extend the boundaries of health care and medical research. These donations help purchase life-saving medical equipment, improve patient care and ensure its research teams continue to find better ways to diagnose, treat and ultimately cure life-threatening diseases. This Community Grant will enable the Foundation to buy Recliner Recovery Chairs for the Mater Maternity Hospital’s Neonatal Critical Care Unit. These chairs will help mothers to comfortably breastfeed their babies, and provide an intimate space for parents to bond with their newborn babies, and for parents and family members to have a rest during what is often a stressful time.

Pacific Rim Just for Kids – $9,200

Just4Kids aims to support any young person living with illness or disability, or suffering social, demographic or economic disadvantage. They focus on the development and delivery of programs targeting education barriers, and fostering social inclusion and participation. This Community Grant will assist the Helping Hands Program in providing programs and mentoring sessions for multicultural youth who have disengaged or are isolated from mainstream social and sporting programs. The program will encourage young people to develop social and leadership skills as well as engage in healthy lifestyles and sports, to improve their physical and emotional wellbeing and support them towards a more positive future.

Pyjama Foundation – $10,000

The Pyjama Foundation empowers children in foster care by matching them with trained volunteers, called the Pyjama Angels. Each week the Angels visit the child to read aloud to them, help them with their schoolwork and become a positive role model and mentor. The Foundation works with 1,200 children every week from Cairns through to the Mornington Peninsula, and provides more than 62,000 hours of private tutoring each year, free of charge. This Community Grant will fund the Camp for Children in Care for 50 children, a week-long camp in December that gives carers a break and allows to children to build positive peer relationships in a fun environment, an opportunity that most have never had before.

Police Citizens Youth Clubs Queensland, Gladstone – $8,760

Police Citizens Youth Clubs Queensland aim to improve Queensland communities through youth development. Affiliated with the Queensland Police Service, they provide high quality youth, early intervention and crime prevention programs to more than 200 young people aged 12–18 in the local and surrounding communities of Gladstone, Boyne Island, Tannum Sands, Calliope and Benaraby in Central Queensland. This Community Grant will enable the Drumbeat program to work with eight groups of 10 young people identified by their school as either being disengaged or involved with bullying. Drumbeat combines experiential learning with cognitive behavioural therapy and has positive effects for young people and adults for whom talk based therapies aren’t appropriate.

Raise Foundation, Brisbane – $9,820

Raise Foundation provides mentoring programs for more than 1,500 young Australians facing profound challenges, including mental and sexual health issues, substance misuse and teen pregnancy. They have also trained around 700 volunteers to be professional mentors across their programs: Bump, Youth Connections, Career and In School Mentoring Opportunity (ISMO). This Community Grant will support Raise Foundation’s structured mentoring program, BUMP (Brisbane). The program helps pregnant and parenting girls aged 13–23, many of whom depend on welfare or are in poorly paid jobs, get little support from family and friends, have mental health issues or are at risk of domestic violence. BUMP is a TAFE Certificate I course that provides 20 weekly mentoring sessions by an older, experienced mother, and nine workshops on employment pathways and creating resumes, health and nutrition, positive mental health and healthy relationships.

Ravenshoe Community Centre – $9,900

Ravenshoe Community Centre provides a range of services to the southern end of the Atherton Tablelands including the townships of Ravenshoe, Mt Garnet and Millaa Millaa — an area with socio-economic disadvantage and limited access to services. They provide family and community support, a youth program, childcare and an aged care program. This Community Grant will enable the Community Centre to deliver its Food for Hungry Kids Program, which will ensure that disadvantaged children in the area receive nutritious meals. The program provides a daily breakfast club for 30 to 40 students at the Primary School, fortnightly cooking classes for teenagers at Mt Garnet and weekly cooking classes and food at the Ravenshoe Youth Shed.

Red Frogs Australia – $10,000

Red Frogs, an initiative of Citipointe Church, is a support program for youth that provides direct relief from alcohol and drug related issues. They aim to reduce suffering and safeguard a generation of young people from the suffering of drug and alcohol abuse, and to empower them to make changes and positive life choices. This Community Grant will enable Red Frogs to deliver its High School Education Program to 48,000 Year 11 and 12 high school students. The program educates students about the drinking culture, decision making, drugs and substance awareness, mental health and personal safety. It focuses on goals and strategies aimed to help young people make positive life choices and avoid risk taking behaviour.

Red Hill Special School – $10,000

Red Hill Special School is an Education Queensland school campus that aims to provide learning opportunities and individual programs for students with complex support needs. The caring and friendly staff work collaboratively with special education teachers, nurses and therapists to deliver quality specialised education. This Community Grant will enable the school to provide horse riding, gym and hydrotherapy programs. These programs will improve general fitness and enable students to enjoy therapeutic and recreational benefits, while providing new opportunities for healthy social interaction.

Royal Queensland Bush Children's Health Scheme – $9,800

The Royal Queensland Bush Children's Health Scheme (Bush Kids) offers a range of free, allied health services to children and families living in rural Queensland. They deliver early intervention services promoting physical, psychological and developmental wellbeing of rural children up to age 13, who are experiencing behavioural, emotional, social and developmental difficulties. This Community Grant will support the full-time Darling Downs Outreach Program Extension to help children who are unable to travel regularly to the Bush Kids’ facilities. The program will provide weekly support to rural and remote communities through in-home services to boost health outcomes in regional areas.

Still I Rise Foundation – $8,185

The Still I Rise Foundation runs community activities that promote healthy living, and motivate local youth to engage in sport and community life. Through the organisation of sporting events with elite coaches, they raise funds to provide a counselling service for young Australians fighting cancer and their families. This Community Grant will help fund the Still I Rise Foundation Challenge 2016 for 160 young people from south-east Queensland, many from disadvantaged or migrant backgrounds. This event will not only raise vital support for a free counselling service for cancer patients, but it will also help the participants build positive relationships and community participation.

Sunshine Coast Children's Therapy Centre – $6,031

Sunshine Coast Children’s Therapy Centre provides Early Intervention Therapy services for children with moderate to severe physical, speech and sensory disabilities. They offer therapy individually or in small groups, and support children and their families, from the greater Sunshine Coast region in their home, day care, kindergarten or school setting. This Community Grant will support a specialised literacy device loan library to help children develop writing and literacy skills. Children will be assessed thoroughly by a Speech Language Pathologist and Occupational Therapist and provided with an iPad or tablet with highly specialised software. The therapists will also deliver training and support for the parent and child during the three-month loan period.

Support Kids in Pain – $10,000

Support Kids in Pain (SKIP) provides support and education to children living with chronic pain and their families. SKIP has developed a two-pronged Pain Education Program that encompasses the Children’s Pain Management Program for children and their families, and Pain Education workshops to be delivered to 200 doctors and health professionals about assessing and managing chronic pain. This Community Grant will support the SKIP Children's Pain Education program to help children and their families manage pain holistically, improve their quality of life and reduce the need for expensive hospital care. The grant will also enable SKIP to deliver GP Education to better support a large number of children suffering from chronic pain.

United Synergies – $10,000

United Synergies supports more than 3,500 young people in need each year through Care Accommodation and Transition, Social and Vocational Engagement, National Standby Response and Health and Wellbeing Services. This Community Grant will enable United Synergies’ Supported Education and Employment Program to provide help to 36 disadvantaged young people who are part of the organisations' supported housing programs. Young people under child protection orders will receive accredited training, work experience and paid employment within the organisation’s current hospitality social enterprise business. This will improve their literacy and numeracy and life skills. Graduates of the program will obtain a Certificate II in hospitality, opening the door to employment opportunities or supported work experience.

Vision Australia – $9,914

Vision Australia is the leading provider of services to people who are blind or have low vision. Their children's services offer support, advice, and training to empower young people with blindness or low vision to develop skills, confidence and independence. This Community Grant will support Vision Australia’s Giving the Gift of Reading to Children with Vision Loss program, which gives children with blindness or low vision early support with reading using Feelix Library story books. These books are annotated with braille, and include an audio version of the story and tactual aids, creating a multi-sensory storytelling experience. Children will be able to read with their parents or siblings, to develop essential literacy and reading skills.

Wynnum General Gordon Community Pre School – $2,606

Wynnum General Gordon Community Pre School is a community kindergarten, established to provide the best possible early childhood program for children aged 3–6 living in the Bayside community. They are committed to providing a high quality early childhood program within a safe and healthy environment for children. This Community Grant will allow the kindergarten to upgrade the shade sail and related structure which is in need of ongoing maintenance. The upgrade will help the kindergarten to continue to offer its valuable outdoor program, while providing a safe and comfortable play environment for the students.

The Australian Cranio-Maxillo Facial Foundation restores hope and dignity to women and children suffering from injuries to their head or face. The Foundation supports clinical work, research and patient support at the Australian Craniofacial Unit at the Women and Children's hospital in Adelaide — a world-renowned centre of excellence in Australia. This Community Grant will enable the purchase of replica skull models to help the surgical team to pre-plan operations, so that four children can benefit from less time under anaesthesia and have a faster road to recovery.

Australian Kabuki Syndrome Association – $4,000

The Australian Kabuki Syndrome Association supports children and young people with Kabuki syndrome, as well as their siblings. The Association aims to ease social isolation by connecting children with similar health issues, while providing much needed respite for their families. The Association also educates parents to help them understand the support needs of their children. This Community Grant will fund the National Family Day and Education Forum, which celebrates the life of Kabuki sufferers. The program allows children and their siblings to enjoy a wide range of activities aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles and social inclusion, while educating parents on how to provide optimal care for the physical and mental wellbeing of their child.

Believe Foundation – $5,000

Believe Foundation provides a niche in the community of young carers for people with a mental disability. The Foundation aims to counteract the negative impacts of caring on young carers' educational opportunities by funding respite, tutoring and essential computer equipment to help them keep up with their schooling. This Community Grant will enable the Thanks for Caring program to give much-needed financial support for the educational needs of young carers. By providing tutoring and computers to 25 carers and their families, the program boosts confidence, improves grades and ultimately raises their prospects of gaining employment, while alleviating stress within the family.

Childhood Cancer Association – $8,000

The Childhood Cancer Association is dedicated to helping children living with cancer, and their families. The Association provides ongoing support, tailored to meet the individual needs of each family, from diagnosis through to treatment. This free of charge service is essential to cover the practical, emotional and financial needs of children and families. This Community Grant will enable the Super Important Brothers and Sister program to care for the emotional wellbeing of siblings of children with cancer. This program helps these children develop strategies and resilience to cope with the impact of cancer, as well as building self-esteem to support them through the cancer journey and beyond.

Cora Barclay Centre – $3,910

The Cora Barclay Centre provides family-focused services to deaf children — from first diagnosis through to young adulthood. The Centre teaches them to speak using hearing aids and cochlear implants through a range of music and speech therapy programs. The Centre also offers support, mentoring and outreach to youth in regional areas of South Australia. This Community Grant will help provide vital speech therapy resources to meet the needs of deaf children. This educational equipment will enable vulnerable deaf children to overcome speech and language delays, allowing them a better chance of social and economic inclusion within their communities.

Edmund Rice Camps, SA – $9,500

Edmund Rice Camps provide holiday and recreational experiences for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. These camps and activities give children the opportunity to engage in new experiences and develop life-affirming relationships with their peers in a supportive environment, and to build invaluable leadership skills. This Community Grant will support Summer Camps for 70 children to participate in a wide program of sport and outdoor activities. The program enables team building and positive role modelling, and promotes healthy relationships and activities.

Good Beginnings Australia – $10,000

Good Beginnings aims to build better outcomes for children in vulnerable communities through effective early intervention and practical parenting programs. They provide customised, free community-integrated programs across Australia where children are at risk in the absence of appropriate early intervention strategies. The organisation offers support ranging from playgroups and literacy programs to fathering initiatives, at-home volunteer visiting for new parents, and intensive family support. This Community Grant will provide funding for Kids Connect in Elizabeth Grove, one of the most disadvantaged communities in South Australia. Kids Connect is a 12 month service for children aged 9–11 years with social skill deficits, behaviour issues and low school attendance. It helps them develop effective communication and conflict resolution skills to help them reach their full potential at school.

Guide Dogs SA/NT – $2,220

Guide Dogs SA and NT works to enhance the life of individuals with sensory disabilities and children with autism. Their services help children and adults develop vital life skills aimed at transitioning to independent living, while opening doors for study and employment opportunities. This Community Grant will support the Autism Assistance Dog program, the only one of its kind in Australia, which provides highly trained dogs and qualified Guidance Mobility Instructors to give training and support to parents and their children. In addition to improving safety, an Autism Assistance Dog promotes positive social interaction and assists in the development of skills used to enable participation in family and community life.

Junction Australia – $10,000

Junction Australia strengthens lives and communities in South Australia by providing quality housing, community development and social support services. The organisation promotes healthy family relationships and a connected community, which empowers its members to pursue their hopes and dreams. This Community Grant will support an early intervention program that will be delivered in partnership with Drug and Alcohol Services. The program aims to improve the health and safety of vulnerable infants whose parents' drug or alcohol use puts them at risk. By developing vital parenting skills and life skills, parents are better equipped to effectively nurture and support their babies.

Novita Children's Services – $9,000

Novita Children’s Services provides child development, rehabilitation and disability services to more than 2,000 children living with disabilities in Adelaide and regional South Australia, as well as offering support for their families and carers. The organisation works with families to give children the best start to life possible, and empowers them to discover their abilities and potential. This Community Grant will enable Novita to loan powered mobility equipment to children with a disability. The Wizzybug helps children who are unable to sit or stand on their own, allowing them to be independently mobile and socialise with their peers while developing vital skills in play, discovery and friendships.

Oz Harvest – $10,000

Oz Harvest rescues excess food from the food industry to feed communities at risk, diverting good food from landfill and providing support to charitable organisations. The organisation also provides nutritional education and training in charities and among marginalised members of the community with no other access to information about health and diet. This Community Grant will facilitate the NEST Outreach program to 32 youth aged 16 to 21 from low-income families in the north and south of Adelaide who are living in transitional housing or at risk of homelessness. Made up of six sessions on preparing nutritious, low-cost meals, the program aims to improve young people’s nutritional knowledge and enhance their wellbeing, while building social and living skills.

Puddle Jumpers – $7,840

Puddle Jumpers provides opportunities and support for children and families at risk, through holidays and recreational activities designed to promote personal and social growth. Focused on children who do not live with their parents, Puddle Jumpers aims to build life skills in problem solving and conflict management while developing self-esteem and confidence. This Community Grant will support children living in the care of their grandparents, through the Creating Ripples for Grandparents Caring for Grandkids program. The camp provides a positive environment for 20 children and their grandparents to foster confidence and personal development as well as create interconnectedness and supportive peer relationships.

Scouts Australia SA Branch, Golden Eagle Scout Group – $7,200

Scouting is a youth movement that aims to help educate young people. By instilling a value system in young men and women aged under 18, the movement empowers them to reach their potential as individuals and motivate them to play a constructive role in society. This Community Grant will allow the Scout Association to purchase a trailer to transport equipment for camping. This will enable more camping trips and greater participation in the Camping Activities program, which teaches young people essential life skills based on healthy eating, exercise and outdoor pursuits.

Starlight Children's Foundation Australia – $9,815

The Starlight Foundation works to ease the loneliness and isolation experienced by seriously ill children during their stay in hospital. Offering a wide variety of games and activities, the Foundation seeks to build the child’s core sense of self by providing distraction from the pain and stress of their treatments. At the same time, Starlight Wish Granting creates meaningful experiences and supports the child’s quality of life. This Community Grant will give support to the Starlight Express Room at the Women and Children's Hospital Adelaide, a program that boosts social inclusion and reduces anxiety, and is visited by more than 9,000 children with serious illnesses every year. The grant will also provide for the Starlight Wish Granting program to give welcome relief from the stress of the hospital environment.

Suneden Special School – $9,454

Suneden Special School provides quality education and care for around 65 students with intellectual and multiple disabilities from ages five to 21 years. The specialised education program teaches children communication and social development that will improve their opportunities for employment. By building lifelong skills, the school fosters independence and community engagement. This Community Grant will support the purchase of manual handling equipment for students with physical disabilities. The equipment will enable staff to assist students with their personal care routines while ensuring the safety and comfort of both staff and students and allowing students greater participation in school life.

Ravenswood Neighbourhood House aims to strengthen communities by identifying community needs and filling the gap with a wide range of programs, including education, support and activities. The House offers low-cost vacation care during the school holidays, and provides children with an enriched range of social, recreational and learning activities. This Community Grant will support the Growing Together Project, which encourages residents to help start vegetable gardens and share the produce with their neighbours. As part of this initiative, a community farm and food production area will be set up next to Waverley Primary School, so students can take home fresh produce. Students will learn about gardening, nutrition and livestock, and help their families enjoy a healthy and balanced diet with fresh produce.

Bridgewater Police and Community Youth Club – $7,996

Bridgewater Police and Community Youth Club (PCYC) caters to the children, youth and adults of Bridgewater and surrounding regions by providing sport and recreational activities along with educational opportunities and health services. Bridgewater PCYC aims to foster interconnectedness and inclusiveness within the community. This Community Grant will support Bridgewater PCYC’s youth fitness programs aimed at young people at risk of obesity and poor health and social outcomes. The grant will enable the purchase of new equipment, which will increase capacity and improve participation, making the program more effective in promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Burnie Police and Community Youth Club – $9,725

Burnie Police and Community Youth Club (PCYC) works with at-risk youth by provide low-cost sporting, recreational and social programs in a safe environment. Burnie PCYC offers activities both at its centre and through a free outreach program that targets disadvantaged groups within the community, to help prevent social exclusion and crime, by promoting positive behaviour and community participation. This Community Grant will support Operation Resilience, a program designed to instil teamwork and leadership skills for young people in the juvenile justice system suffering from domestic violence, and teenage parents. As Burnie is one of the most disadvantaged areas in regional Australia, the program does vital work in assisting today's youth to become contributing members of the community and confident leaders of tomorrow.

Cressy District High School under the auspices of the Department of Education Tasmania – $2,000

Cressy District High School caters for around 400 children from Kindergarten to Grade 10 from rural areas in northern Tasmania. Many students are from disadvantaged backgrounds and benefit enormously from an extensive educational program both within and outside of school hours. This Community Grant will allow for the expansion of the school playground and the purchase of additional sporting equipment. With most families lacking the financial means to visit major sporting centres, this will give students the opportunity for structured physical activity and stimulation at break time, as well as foster positive peer interaction and improve emotional and physical wellbeing.

East Derwent Primary School under the auspices of the Department of Education Tasmania – $4,000

East Derwent Primary School caters for around 400 students under the age of 12, from predominantly disadvantaged backgrounds who have limited access to extracurricular activities outside of the school. The school aims to bridge the gap of disadvantage through community partnerships, which help strengthen relationships between students and the local community. This Community Grant will support weekly fitness sessions for 200 students at the Bridgewater PCYC, providing a safe environment for young people to participate in social and recreational activities. Students will increase their physical fitness and develop a sense of social inclusion and understand the importance of commitment, which they can apply to other areas of their lives.

Exeter High School under the auspices of the Department of Education Tasmania – $10,000

Exeter High School caters to more than 350 students in northern Tasmania, with many from disadvantaged or marginalised families. The school provides flexible learning programs giving students additional opportunities to develop practical skills to help them join the workforce. The school has a farm on its grounds where students learn to cultivate and produce their own food. This Community Grant will help expand the work done on the farm. This includes building the Paddock to Plate café where students can share the produce from the farm. The café will help students learn how to use home produce effectively and economically and build skills in agriculture and hospitality.

Fight Cancer Foundation – $10,000

Fight Cancer Foundation improves the lives of cancer patients around Australia and overseas, through providing support services to individuals and families affected by cancer, and supporting vital research programs. The organisation operates affordable accommodation centres for regional patients and educational support to children undergoing treatment. This Community Grant will provide much needed funding for John Opie House in Hobart, a 15-room accommodation centre that can house up to 24 patients and their carers each night close to their treating hospital. This comfortable and affordable accommodation relieves the financial strain of long distance travel for families unable to relocate to be with their ill family member, and reduces stress for the whole family.

Kennerley Children's Home – $7,500

Kennerley Children's Home looks after at-risk children who are under Care and Protection Orders, by providing both long and short term care options. The Home supports children who have experienced trauma and helps them achieve academic success and reach their potential as adults. This Community Grant will support Closing the Gaps for Children in Care which provides online literacy and numeracy programs for daily after school use. The program uses technology and tutor support to help children overcome learning difficulties and develop necessary IT skills to successfully access education.

Optia – $10,000

Optia seeks to help people with additional needs to achieve their vision of a good life, by providing support services along with recreation and leisure opportunities. The organisation’s lifelong learning approach gives people living with disability in Tasmania the opportunity to enhance and develop skills and life opportunities. This Community Grant will allow a major renovation of the main bathroom at Optia's Seven Mile Beach Retreat, a house providing respite services and accommodation for clients transitioning to independence. The renovation will make the bathroom wheelchair accessible, effectively opening the service up to a further 60 young people on the waiting list, enabling them to access much needed respite support.

Rural Health Tasmania – $10,000

Rural Health Tasmania promotes health across the North West and the West Coast of Tasmania through a range of early intervention, prevention and counselling services. Rural Health works to identify community needs, and implement children and family focused programs to boost community health and wellbeing. This Community Grant will provide much needed support for the Youth Mental Health program in Circular Head, which aims to prevent youth suicide by building knowledge and skills on an individual level to counteract the social and financial stresses within the community. This will foster support within the community to promote emotional wellbeing among disadvantaged young people.

School of Special Education North-West Burnie – $10,000

The School of Special Education helps students who have a range of physical, cognitive and medical conditions, by providing access to educational programs and technologies. The school works with students individually through an education plan tailored to their needs, helping improve their communication and motor skills and their future work opportunities. This Community Grant will support the launch of Finding the Right Voice for Me, a new method of learning communication for autistic students. The program will help learners develop functional speech, and reduce challenging behaviours brought on by the frustration of being unable to communicate through speech. This in turn will alleviate stress at home, benefiting the family as a whole.

The Scout Association of Australia Tasmanian Branch – $10,000

Scouting is a youth movement that aims to help educate young people from all walks of life, many of whom are disadvantaged in some way. By instilling a value system in young men and women aged under 18, the movement empowers them to reach their potential as individuals and to play a constructive role in society. This Community Grant will support the Kayaking Program for Scouts and Guides by enabling the purchase of kayaks and a trailer for the 10th Hobart Scouts who will actively encourage scouts and guides from other groups to use them. This equipment will allow increased participation in the kayaking program, which promotes a sense of responsibility and leadership as well as building confidence and self-esteem.

St Giles Society – $9,885

St Giles treats and cares for children from at-risk families across Tasmania, providing a wide range of therapeutic and practical services free of charge. In addition to metropolitan centres in Launceston and Hobart, teams travel to remote parts of the state to ensure every child has access to the respite, behaviour support and therapy they need. This Community Grant will equip a post surgery and rehabilitation gym for children with a disability or recovering from surgery. This will give children access to a rehabilitation exercise program within a safe and protective environment, allowing them to benefit from critical aerobic and strengthening exercises.

Variety the Children's Charity Tasmania – $10,000

Variety Tasmania aims to improve the quality of life for Tasmanian children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs. The organisation provides ongoing support to children, families and organisations in the form of mobility equipment, medical assistance and community programs. By supporting children in educational, sporting and artistic endeavours, Variety Tasmania gives them a chance for a greater and more independent future. This Community Grant will fund 15 Heart of Gold Scholarships to children from disadvantaged backgrounds or with a disability or special need. This program recognises potential in arts, sport or education and empowers disadvantaged young people to achieve success and fulfil their dreams.

The Anne McDonald Centre provides free communication aids and therapy to more than 3,000 children and adults who can hear but have communication difficulties. This essential service uses new technology to provide therapeutic, social and educational benefits to children without speech, and enables them to make significant improvements in communication. This Community Grant will enable the purchase of iPads and apps for seven children from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. The children will be taught how to use the apps effectively to improve their communication and social skills, opening doors to new opportunities for social interaction and education, and creating a better quality of life.

The Australian Kidney Foundation – $10,000

Kidney Health Australia provides support to Australians affected by kidney diseases, as well as their families and carers. The Foundation also works to raise awareness through advocacy, research and education to ensure a public focus on early detection and prevention, and reduce the incidence of death from chronic disease. This Community Grant will support the Big Red Kidney Bus Metro Escape, a mobile dialysis bus which will transport 12 young dialysis patients aged 16 to 21 years to a holiday destination for one week, while providing vital access to dialysis equipment. This world first innovation allows dialysis patients the opportunity to take healthy holiday breaks — many for the first time in their lives — while fostering positive peer relationships.

Autism Behavioural Intervention Association – $3,500

Autism Behavioural Intervention Association supports families who have a child with autism by providing essential training and information on behaviour-based interventions. The Association gives these children an equal opportunity to reach their full potential and positively contribute to community life. This Community Grant will support a much-needed overhaul of the Autism Resource Library by replacing and updating the existing educational aids, toys and books. This will give parents access to the most current information about autism so they can provide the best care possible for their child.

Autism Spectrum Australia – $10,000

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is Australia's leading autism services provider. Aspect helps more than 10,000 people with autism and their families each year to achieve the best possible opportunities, by providing children the vital supports they need to reach their unique potential and succeed in later life. Aspect has the largest autism-specific schools program in the world, with eight independent schools, more than 100 satellite classes and over 1,000 students. This Community Grant will support the Transition to School program, which will provide occupational therapy and early intervention to 15 children with autism aged 4–5, to help them make a successful transition into formal schooling and improve their learning outcomes.

Awards Victoria – $8,600

The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award aims to empower young Victorians by delivering recreational, adventure and community service programs that develop resilience and leadership skills. The Awards program focuses on redressing the gender imbalance by engaging young women in opportunities for life-long learning, career development and community connection. This Community Grant will help 20 young Victorians to participate in the Duke of Edinburgh Award through the Engage and Equip Youth program. By providing fee assistance and funding activities, the program helps young people from disadvantaged backgrounds or remote communities to overcome the financial barriers that would otherwise exclude them from the Award, and assists them in improving their physical and emotional wellbeing and community engagement.

Ballarat Christian College – $9,900

South Star Warriors is an after-school team of 65 students from Ballarat Christian College who meet weekly to design, construct and race human-powered and hybrid vehicles. This extra-curricular program builds fitness, fosters collaboration and empowers students to positively influence the future of transportation. This Community Grant will enable the school to train the students to design and experiment with constructing energy-efficient vehicles and hybrid vehicles. This is vital training tool for students to contribute to reducing greenhouse gases, providing alternative transport and developing solutions to the world energy crisis. The program will also add a parents’ team in 2015, to strengthen child and parent relationships and promote family activities.

Banksia Gardens Community Services – $10,000

Banksia Gardens Community Services provides vital services to more than 80,000 community members, with a special focus on assisting the most disadvantaged families living in the nearby Banksia Gardens housing estate. Both a neighbourhood house and a community service organisation, Banksia provides a wide range of educational, cultural and leisure activities, and gives relief and support for community members experiencing poverty, sickness or distress. This Community Grant will support the Girls' Circle, a creative self-development group for girls aged 10-15 that provides a fun, safe space for girls to support one another, try new activities and develop skills and confidence. The only program of its kind in the area, it aims to encourage girls on the cusp of adolescence, and empower them to overcome disadvantage and reach their potential as women.

Bayside Community Information and Support Service – $8,000

Bayside Community Information and Support Service (CISS) helps vulnerable people and families by offering practical legal support, tax help and budget assistance as well as counselling and support services. The largest provider of emergency relief in the area, Bayside CISS helps meet the educational needs of students through a program of school excursions, camps and recreational activities. This Community Grant will support the Education for All program, which gives children from disadvantaged families the opportunity to attend extracurricular activities they would otherwise be excluded from. This results in improved wellbeing for the children as well as greater connectedness with their school community and improved performance at school.

Big Brothers – Big Sisters Australia – $10,000

Big Brothers – Big Sisters supports vulnerable children by providing them with guidance, friendship and a long-term positive role model with a volunteer adult mentor. The organisation helps give children a brighter future by empowering them to reach their potential and make positive behavioural changes, building their self-worth and trust. This Community Grant will provide mentorship for six children from complex or chaotic family environments. The Melbourne Mentoring Match program will give children a positive role model, boosting their confidence and resilience to empower them to make better choices and engage with community life.

Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria – $9,840

Blind Sports and Recreation Victoria (BSRV) works to empower blind and vision-impaired people in Victoria to lead active and healthy lifestyles through sport and recreation. The organisation creates opportunities for 1,000 members of all ages and backgrounds to become involved in competitive sports, recreation and social events to help them improve physical fitness, emotional wellness and social inclusion. This Community Grant will enable BSRV to implement a new judo program for 150 school aged children across Melbourne who may not have had the opportunity to engage in sport previously. In addition to the health benefits, the program will allow these children to participate actively with sighted peers to foster new social connections and help prevent the social isolation that can accompany blindness.

Bone Marrow Donor Institute – $10,000

Bone Marrow Donor Institute provides support and accommodation services for people suffering from leukaemia and cancers of the blood. Their vital work encompasses medical research and educational programs as well as providing a bone marrow donor registry and stem cell storage for an alternate treatment of blood cancers. This Community Grant will help the Bone Marrow Donor Institute Rotary House in Melbourne to offer affordable housing to transplant patients at the Royal Children's Hospital and their families, many of whom are travelling from regional areas. This assistance alleviates the financial strain of caring for a child with cancer for parents who need to give up employment through the treatment and recovery period.

Boots for All – $10,000

Boots for All aims to create an active and socially inclusive Australia through sport, by collecting and distributing new and used sports equipment to disadvantaged teams across the country. Breaking down the barriers to sport participation helps to relieve poverty, suffering and social exclusion of vulnerable and disadvantaged children and adults. This Community Grant will enable Boots for All to extend their project, reaching a greater number of teams. The project helps vulnerable Australian children and youth get involved in organised sport, improving their physical health and giving them the chance to participate in their community.

Camp Quality – $10,000

Camp Quality aims to improve the quality of life for 10,000 Australian children under the age of 13 living with cancer. The organisation builds a supportive and positive network for children and their families through programs that incorporate education, performance and recreation. The camps also allow space to relax and reconnect away from the clinical hospital environment. This Community Grant will support the Family Camp for fifteen families in Victoria. This free program strengthens family relationships and builds positivity and optimism in the child, empowering them to cope with the challenges of living with cancer.

Carers Victoria – $10,000

Carers Victoria (CV) works to improve the health and resilience of family carers in Victoria, to help them cope with the emotional and financial impact of looking after a loved one. The organisation identifies and reaches out to carers and their families, providing a range of services to support all the carer's needs, from counselling and respite to education and training. This Community Grant will support the Young Carers Scholarship Program for 250 young people caring for a family member. This program enables carers to focus on themselves and their wellbeing by providing life opportunities they would otherwise be unable to experience, encouraging them to further their education, develop skills and build support networks.

Concern Australia Welfare – $10,000

Concern Australia works to strengthen communities and support networks by focusing on vulnerable and marginalised children and young people. Through a holistic approach that encompasses prevention, restoration and transformation, the organisation offers training programs, personal support and community services that help youth to change their lives and contribute to their communities. This Community Grant will support the Hand Brake Turn initiative, a series of nationally accredited Certificate II courses in the automotive fields, including mechanics and panel beating, for 70 students from disadvantaged backgrounds. From hands on training to assistance with resume writing and job search, the program teaches core skills to help students gain work experience and employment or re-engage with their education.

The Council for Christian Education in Schools, Stawell Primary School – $2,800

The Council for Christian Education in Schools supports two school chaplains to run a welfare-based program to students and staff of a primary school and a special needs school. A breakfast program is run in schools for children from disadvantaged families or with challenging behaviours. This Community Grant will support the Stawell Primary School Breakfast Club to provide a nutritional morning meal twice a week for up to 40 children who the chaplain has identified as being in need. This initiative supports students’ health and improves their learning outcomes while giving students an opportunity to interact with their peers in a positive environment.

East Gippsland Specialist School – $9,000

The East Gippsland Specialist School helps students with intellectual disabilities with a comprehensive and innovative curriculum from primary through to secondary school. The school fosters a supportive environment, emphasising cooperation and teamwork to help students to build on their strengths and fulfil their potential. This Community Grant will enable the school to purchase OSMO kits for iPad Education. The kits contain an interactive device for the iPad that stimulates users’ fine motor and cognitive skills. They will be incorporated into the classroom program, providing direct benefit to 100 students and engaging interest in spelling and maths activities, improving learning outcomes.

Fusion Mornington Peninsula – $10,000

Fusion is a youth-focused organisation committed to building healthy communities and support networks for young people. In addition to providing housing for up to 50 homeless youth, the organisation offers support services for around 200 disadvantaged or marginalised young people within the local schools and communities. This Community Grant will support the Skills for Life program, which aims to build practical life skills to help young people achieve independent living and develop their potential. Through mentoring and tutoring, youth are encouraged to re-engage with their education for greater employment opportunities and positive participation within the community.

Gateways Support Services – $8,080

Gateway Support Services empowers and supports children and adults with a disability and their families to maximise their quality and enjoyment of life. The organisation provides comprehensive and innovative services to promote independence and social inclusion for people living with disabilities, from early childhood intervention and therapy to respite and recreation programs. This Community Grant will increase Gateway's capacity for autism assessments in South West Victoria, providing early diagnosis to improve child and family outcomes. Early assessment and intervention will enable more families to plan effectively for their child's future and give them the best possible start in life.

Harrow Bush Nursing Centre – $4,000

The Harrow Bush Nursing Centre provides vital medical services to the local community of Harrow. One of just 14 bush nursing centres still operating in Victoria, the organisation delivers nursing services and primary health care needs and has served the community through drought, fire, flood and social and political change. This Community Grant will fund the Bay Riders Community School Holiday Program to meet the needs of children in remote areas who are otherwise unable to connect with school holiday programs due to lack of access to public transport. The Bay Rider Community Centre caters for 150 children, mostly from disadvantaged backgrounds, by providing quality holiday care, and benefits not only the children but their families and the wider community as well.

KIDS Foundation – $10,000

The KIDS Foundation is dedicated to the prevention and recovery of childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability of Australian children. The Foundation delivers quality school and community-based education programs that aim to reduce preventable childhood injuries and death, and provides ongoing support for young people who have experienced life changing injuries and burns. KIDS aims to keep children safe and create a better life for those living with serious injury. This Community Grant will support Camp TANGO (Together Achieving New Goals and Opportunities), an annual event which incorporates personal development activities, peer mentoring and a counselling program to foster support and social connection, empowering young people living with injuries.

Kalparrin Early Childhood Intervention Program – $10,000

Kalparrin Early Childhood Intervention Program works with families of children with a disability or developmental delay to provide vital early intervention services. The organisation serves as a single point of contact for families seeking support, guidance and services to meet the physical and developmental needs of their child. This Community Grant will support Families Can, a new integrated program designed for children aged 4 to 6 years who are at risk of developing behavioural or emotional disorders. This program will strengthen family relationships through a family camp that brings together children and parents to contribute positively towards skill development and build community interconnectedness.

MacKillop Family Services – $8,800

MacKillop Family Services is dedicated to fostering hope and promoting justice for children, young people and their families, particularly those who experience distress, disadvantage and abuse. Through a range of support services and education programs, the organisation ensures each young person and their family is protected and given the chance to build a brighter future. This Community Grant will enable the Way Out There program to continue supporting young people aged 15 to 17 years living in out-of-home care to transition to independent living. The program uses camps and group activities to develop essential living skills aimed at reducing the risk of young people falling into chronic homelessness and unemployment, to create better life opportunities.

Marist Youth Care – $9,500

Marist Youth Care provides a range of essential services to 1,700 disadvantaged youth and their families in New South Wales and Victoria, with a focus on empowering homeless young people or those at risk of exclusion from mainstream education. The organisation offers tailored support and case management to empower young people to engage in education and vocational training, creating opportunities for sustainable employment. This Community Grant will fund the New Seeds: the Garden, Jobs and Food Project, an eight-week project to transform a barren space in Brunswick into an urban food garden. The program will provide 40 disengaged young people with the opportunity to learn practical lifelong skills in permaculture and gardening. As well as being a valuable training program, the produce grown will be given to the Asylum Seeker Drop in Centre and distributed to vulnerable members of the community.

Melbourne University Health Initiative – $5,200

The Melbourne University Health Initiative is dedicated to elevating health standards to the highest potential, catering to more than 2,000 students from universities across Victoria. The Student Welfare Outreach Team (SWOT) offers a range of educational programs to address health and academic issues for high school students from disadvantaged areas. This Community Grant will fund an annual VCE lecture series organised by SWOT, which engages students from schools underrepresented at the University of Melbourne to help them achieve the best result in their final examinations. By providing 300 local and 250 rural students with access to quality education, SWOT aims to empower students with the knowledge and motivation required to complete year 12, pursue further education and open doors to a brighter future.

MonashLink Community Health Service – $7,462

MonashLink aims to improve the health and wellbeing of more than 15,000 community members within the city of Monash and surrounding areas, many of whom are from disadvantaged and isolated backgrounds. The service offers affordable and accessible health services, and focuses on expanding paediatric services to meet the increasing chronic health needs of children in the area. This Community Grant will support JumpStart, an innovative school based program developed to address the growing issue of child obesity. This program will deliver interactive nutrition and exercise strategies to primary school students and their families, to support weight management and improve physical wellbeing through education about nutrition, diet and physical activity.

My Room – $3,000

My Room supports research and clinical care to improve outcomes for childhood cancer in Victoria. By supporting the Royal Children's Hospital, My Room helps the Children's Cancer Centre provide world-class care for Victorian children undergoing treatment for cancer, and aims to alleviate the long-term physical, education and emotional difficulties as a result of treatment. This Community Grant will enable the My Room Cancer Research Project to purchase stickers for more than 500 patients in creative programs at the Cancer Centre. These programs are vital for providing distraction from the stress and pain of cancer treatment, as well as giving ill children an opportunity to express themselves and build positive peer relationships.

Narre Warren North Primary School – $10,000

Narre Warren North Primary School provides a supportive learning community for more than 300 students. The School focuses on maximising educational opportunities and helping all children reach their full potential. Its curriculum is designed to develop excellence in numeracy and literacy, building life-long skills and motivating students to strive for continuous improvement. This Community Grant will allow the school to set up Little Possums Playgroup, a unique service in the area. This program will help children socialise and play while their parents can connect in a friendly environment, strengthening community ties and aiding children's transition into formal education.

Nepean Special School – $10,000

Nepean Special School caters for students with physical disabilities and complex health needs with a unique curriculum and individual program plan. The school's multidisciplinary approach to education provides a stimulating learning environment that celebrates positive behaviour, focuses on individual learning and promotes independence. This Community Grant will provide a Bird Nest swing in the play area to allow students with physical disabilities and medical needs to be part of the school playground, enhancing the inclusiveness of the area. Children who can't sit up or use wheelchairs will be able to enjoy the swing while socialising with their peers and teachers. Because the playground is a community hub the swing will also benefit various community groups that use the space.

Port Phillip Specialist School – $9,423

Port Phillip Specialist School provides a diverse range of educational programs for students with multiple needs and intellectual disabilities. These programs combine special education, specialist and therapy services to empower the students to develop lifelong skills. This Community Grant will support the Hydrotherapy Program, which will help children who can’t access public pools due to safety concerns. The grant will allow the refurbishment of the spa and provide new hoists for children with high physical support needs. This will enable around 120 school students to enjoy and benefit from hydrotherapy in a safe environment.

Presentation Family Centre – $9,878

Presentation Family Centre provides respite care facilities for families struggling with physical or mental health issues. In addition to six self-catered cottages, the Centre offers cooking, activities and free holiday programs for children or young people who are disengaged from society. They offer a broad range of services designed to enhance the health and wellbeing of children and their families and alleviate the stress of financial hardship. This Community Grant will enable the holiday program to hold 20 cooking workshops for young people and provide them with hot meals for 10 weeks. This initiative aims to counter the effects of malnourishment by teaching youth how to prepare nutritional meals.

Riding for the Disabled Association of Victoria – $4,000

Riding for the Disabled Association (RDA) enables 50 children with intellectual disabilities or autism to experience the enjoyment of horse riding. By participating in sporting and recreational equestrian activities, members build a sense of personal achievement and develop valuable life skills. This Community Grant will enable the purchase of new riding helmets in line with safety regulations, allowing RDA to continue with its program and ensure the wellbeing of its riders. The grant will also support the replacement of girths with a newer mode, which will relieve pressure on the horses, providing a higher level of comfort and better animal care.

The River Nile Learning Centre – $9,240

The River Nile Learning Centre offers free-of-charge education to young refugee and asylum seeker women aged 15 to 21. Through a range of programs tailored to individual needs and abilities, the centre teaches reading, writing and numeracy skills to women who are excluded from mainstream education or who are struggling to keep up with their schooling, while providing childcare and social support. This Community Grant will allow the centre to engage an on-site social worker to help students manage their difficult personal circumstances. By addressing their financial, legal and family issues, students will be able to concentrate more effectively on their studies and improve their education outcomes. These essential language and literacy skills will empower them to gain employment and contribute positively to community life.

Ronald McDonald House Parkville – $9,800

Ronald McDonald House Parkville helps seriously ill children and their families by providing accommodation for the relatives of in and outpatient children at Wodonga Hospital, the Northern Hospital and the Western Health Sunshine Campus. One of the largest Houses in Australia, the organisation gives families quality time together to reconnect outside of the hospital or home environment. This Community Grant will enable Parkville House to install small refrigerators in each of its rooms where families can store essential medications and personal food items. This will be benefit children and young people by protecting them from further illness and potential contamination.

Sale College – $960

Sale College is the only public secondary school in the Sale area of regional Victoria, catering to 770 students. The college has an active and successful music program giving 100 students the benefits of music education while building self-discipline and persistence. These essential life skills help students to better engage and contribute to learning in other subject areas. This Community Grant will cover the tuition and instrument hire fees for four students who have demonstrated considerable talent but who can’t afford to continue in the program.

Skilling Australia Foundation – $10,000

The Skilling Australia Foundation provides support and resources for disadvantaged Australian youth. By matching young people with employment opportunities, the Foundation facilitates their personal and professional development to help them reach their full potential through rewarding careers. The Foundation also works with employers through mentorship and education on the need to take on young people and develop their skills. This Community Grant will support In2Work, a three-week pre-employment program or vocational preparation course that will enable 15 young women experiencing financial hardship to enhance their job skills. The program will help prepare women for employment so they can live full and independent lives.

The Smith Family – $10,000

The Smith Family works in 97 communities across Australia, helping young Australians in need participate fully in education and empowering them to improve their lives. The organisation’s Learning for Life program is designed to equip students with essential tools and support to complete their schooling, while strengthening their families and the communities in which they live. This Community Grant will support an initiative to award tertiary scholarships to five Learning for Life students in Victoria. Direct financial assistance will ensure the students are not excluded from access to education because of financial hardship, while the mentorship of a Learning for Life co-ordinator will provide the student with support tailored to their individual learning needs.

Springvale Park Special Developmental School – $5,000

Springvale Park Special Developmental School provides a stimulating learning environment for around 200 students with intellectual and multiple disabilities. The School focuses on personalised learning, with a broad range of activities to ensure students of all abilities and levels can engage with the school and community. At the same time, the School’s work preparation program helps maximise students' post school employment opportunities. This Community Grant will support an out of school recreation program for 15 young people with a disability as well as their families. Teen Club gives students the opportunity to attend outings and social activities they would not otherwise have access to, helping them engage with their community, improve their social inclusion and give them a better sense of belonging.

Sunshine Special Developmental School – $9,746

Sunshine Special Developmental School caters for more than 160 children with complex needs and intellectual disability. The School provides specialised education tailored to the needs of each student with an individual learning plan, which identifies priority learning areas and goals. This ensures that each student develops according to their abilities to reach their full potential. This Community Grant will enable the School to redevelop the Outdoor Learning Space to make it a safe and comfortable environment for students to learn and grow. Once this space becomes usable, it will form an integral part of the experiential, hands on learning program to engage students while developing independence and vital skills for play and social interactions.

Victorian Blue Light State Council – $7,828

Blue Light is an early intervention organisation that aims to reduce the incidence of crime among young people. The organisation educates secondary school students about the impact and consequence of high-risk choices relating to peer pressure, alcohol and drugs, to promote positive behavioural change. This Community Grant will support YOUTHINK – Party Safe Skills for Life, a trauma prevention program delivered to 250 students in Year 10 and 11 who are at risk of alcohol and substance abuse. By raising awareness of the impact of injury and trauma, it empowers students to make positive life choices, avoid risk-taking behaviour and engage more fully with their education.

Warrnambool and District Food Share – $10,000

Warrnambool and District Food Share provides emergency food relief to families and individuals in need in the Warrnambool and District Community. Sourcing donations locally from supermarkets and businesses, the organisation distributes more than 100,000 kilograms of food a year through welfare agencies, schools, and church and youth groups. This Community Grant will enable the program to provide much-needed food hampers to youth programs in schools and community-based organisations. This will ensure that more than 3,000 children and young people in crisis who rely on these deliveries as part of their staple diet have access to quality food items and fresh vegetable produce.

Windana Drug and Alcohol Recovery – $10,000

Windana is a major provider of drug treatment services in Victoria. Windana takes a uniquely holistic approach to recovery that incorporates therapy, case management and rehabilitation. The organisation aims to empower individuals and families to recover from alcohol or drug addiction and build positive lives. Windana Youth Community House provides residential rehabilitation in a supportive drug and alcohol withdrawal environment for young people, with access to vital therapy and recreation activities. This Community Grant will support a regular exercise program for young people at the Community House, with new gym equipment and a personal trainer to deliver individualised exercise programs. This program will allow young people to benefit from improved physical and mental health through their recovery and beyond.

Wingate Avenue Community Centre – $10,000

Wingate Avenue Community Centre caters to the community of an Ascot Vale housing estate whose members face significant disadvantages including low income, unemployment and addiction issues. Wingate is committed to empowering community members to improve their quality of life. The organisation offers training and childcare combined with social and recreation programs that create pathways to education and employment and give opportunities for a brighter future. This Community Grant will enable the launch of Inspiring a Future for Disadvantaged Youth, a new program that aims to break the cycle of disadvantage and homelessness. By providing youth with guidance and job search support, the program will instil a sense of community belonging and social inclusion, while building valuable life skills and peer support in a vibrant and friendly space where youth can interact.

Woolamai Beach Surf Life Saving Club – $6,500

Woolamai Beach Surf Lifesaving Club aims to provide a safe environment for the community around the dangerous beach at Cape Woolamai. The Club runs emergency surf and rescue programs and beach safety initiatives, and saves the lives of around 60 people every year. This Community Grant will enable the purchase of an education and patrol trailer to help provide community education in schools and youth groups. The trailer will be used to teach water safety, aquatic education and surf awareness to 500 school age children from various cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, who can then bring this knowledge back to their own communities, potentially reducing risk for families and young people enjoying the beach.

The Autism Association of Western Australia is one of the nation's largest service providers to people living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) as well as their families. The organisation supports individuals and families from early childhood through to adult life by offering specialised intervention programs, direct support and consultancy services. The Association aims to maximise the opportunities for people with Autism to benefit from full participation in community life. This Community Grant will support the Just4Sibs program, which seeks to positively address the challenges that siblings of children with ASD may face. The grant will allow the delivery of the program to more than 250 children, giving them the chance to meet and establish supportive relationships with other young people.

Cystic Fibrosis WA – $10,000

Cystic Fibrosis WA supports and funds research into cystic fibrosis. The organisation provides training for health care professionals and support services to people across Western Australia living with cystic fibrosis to enable them to reach their full potential despite their condition. This Community Grant will support a camp program for up to 50 children who have a parent or sibling with cystic fibrosis. By integrating recreation with educational components, the camp promotes social inclusion in a relaxed environment, equipping children with skills to cope with the challenges and stress of living in a household affected by cystic fibrosis.

Epilepsy Action Australia – $10,000

Epilepsy Action Australia is the country’s the largest provider of specialist epilepsy services for more than 13,000 people with epilepsy as well as their carers, families and the broader community. In addition, they support ground breaking epidemiological research into epilepsy in Australia. This Community Grant will provide funds for the Perth Action Adventure Camp, a three-day residential camp run for young people living with epilepsy and their families. These camps use early intervention strategies, adventure therapy activities, peer learning and specialist epilepsy education to improve the social, emotional, and physical wellbeing of young people living with epilepsy and their family and carers. They also offer valuable networking opportunities for the children and their families to break the sense of isolation they often experience.

Fair Game Australia – $10,000

Fair Game engages underserviced Australian communities through unique health education and fitness programs. Using donations of recycled sports equipment, Fair Game partners with like-minded organisations to give all Australians access to the benefits of healthy choices, while developing leadership skills and boosting physical fitness. This Community Grant will support the delivery of the three Health, Fitness and Wellness programs to up to eight Pilbara Indigenous communities by funding 10 field trips. These programs are designed to encourage children and young people in remote communities to benefit from fitness activities and health education while building strong peer and mentor relationships that will positively influence academic success.

Heart Kids WA – $10,000

HeartKids works to improve the lives and futures of those children affected by Congenital Heart Disease (CHD), providing high-quality, caring support in hospital and in the community. HeartKids supports research and advocacy and is dedicated to providing physical, emotional and financial support for a family’s immediate needs, with emergency meals, accommodation and crisis support. This Community Grant will allow up to 150 children living with CHD in Western Australia to attend the annual HeartKids Teen/Tween program. These one-day events give young people with CHD the opportunity to form a support network and learn life skills, while participating in confidence building activities in a safe and supportive environment.

IdentityWA – $2,800

IdentityWA provides a range of services for children and adults with disability and their families, to support a better quality of living with a sense of purpose, belonging and wellbeing. Working in partnership with clients, the organisation offers a personalised program with support tailored to the needs of each individual and family's unique situation. This Community Grant will enable the purchase of new medical equipment at the Children's Respite House so that it is fully accessible for young people and children with high support medical needs, which will create respite opportunities for a greater number of individuals and their families.

Indigenous Communities Education and Awareness – $10,000

Indigenous Communities Education and Awareness (ICEA) aims to achieve reconciliation through mutual respect for all Australians. ICEA supports reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth by creating positive environments for young Australians to build genuine relationships and develop a greater understanding and appreciation of each other's culture. These connections empower youth to work together in breaking down cultural barriers. This Community Grant will support the ICEA Marja Series, which uses sport and cultural activities to develop relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous young people. The program is a unique way of encouraging positive forms of engagement between young people, leading to greater participation and acceptance of Indigenous people within society.

INKA – $9,446

INKA provides respite care for clients in southwest Western Australia who have been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Down Syndrome. INKA assists clients to deal with developmental and sensory issues and low interaction skills, and to build self-esteem in a positive and stimulating environment. At the same time, the organisation enables primary carers to take a much-needed break in their caring role. This Community Grant will support a Bushfire Readiness initiative that will provide 940 individuals and their families accessing the respite service with a high degree of confidence that their loved ones will be safe in the event of a bushfire. The program will not only ensure the protection and care of clients but also of the greater local community and environment.

Kalparrin - Parents of Children with Disabilities – $9,900

Kalparrin helps 1,200 families and carers of children with special needs and disability by providing practical information and emotional support, and connecting them to services at the Princess Margaret Hospital. The organisation also creates a support network for families with an extensive program of events and respite care. This Community Grant will support the Sibs Day Out, a school holiday program for siblings of children with special needs. This program provides a safe and protective environment that helps to strengthen the emotional resilience of around 80 children, while allowing them the opportunity to build a peer support network to relieve feelings of isolation and improve their emotional wellbeing.

Kimberley Dental Team – $10,000

The Kimberley Dental Team aims to enhance dental care and resources in Aboriginal communities across the Kimberley region. In addition to providing quality dental treatment, the Team delivers an oral health program in regional schools to teach essential skills in dental self-care. This Community Grant will support a team of dental professionals to visit remote community schools and carry out oral health education and screening at a temporary dental clinic. The program provides an essential service that is lacking in the area. It also partners with the WA Healthy Schools Project to provide 4,000 children with toothbrush supplies.

Mission Australia – $9,600

Mission Australia works to reduce homelessness and strengthen communities across Australia, eliminating disadvantage and transforming lives. Through its wide range of services, the Foundation helps around 20,000 young people to stay at school or pursue further education, and assists disadvantaged people of all ages to find and keep a job. They also support families and individuals to find affordable rental housing, while advocating for systemic change. This Community Grant will fund Mission Australia’s Connecting Homeless Youth Back into the Community, which will target 50 young homeless people aged 15–18. Most of these young people are homeless due to family dysfunction, and many face mental health, substance abuse and domestic violence issues. The program will provide these youth with the essential skills they need to live and thrive independently.

No Matter What – $10,000

No Matter What strives to improve the quality of life for children and young people living with cancer. The Association aims to educate and motivate the larger community to support youth and their families throughout their experience with cancer, by raising awareness of their needs and bridging the gaps between young people with cancer and community services. This Community Grant will help fund the School Holiday Program for Kids, a new and innovative program designed to keep children connected to the school system throughout their long hospital treatments. Children benefit from visits from qualified teachers during school holidays to prevent them from falling behind in their schooling. This improves the students’ confidence and emotional wellbeing and relieves the feelings of social isolation they experience from having no access to education and support networks.

Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Foundation – $6,800

The Princess Margaret Hospital for Children Foundation supports the hospital in providing world-class care for its young patients and their families. The hospital works to pioneer new and innovative treatments and cures for childhood illnesses by funding leading edge medical equipment, training and complimentary services to support children throughout their treatment and recovery. This Community Grant will enable the Neurology Department to purchase a Magnetic Stim Coil, a vital piece of equipment for monitoring limb function and evaluation interventions. This will improve outcomes of surgical procedures for children suffering from brain or nerve related problems, and potentially enhance their quality of life.

STARZ Dance under the auspices of Soul Gestures – $9,835

Soul Gestures delivers innovative community-based programs aimed at improving the quality of life of disadvantaged and marginalised young people across Western Australia. The organisation provides opportunities for children and teens with special needs to participate in dance classes free of charge. This Community Grant will support the STARZ Dance program, a dance movement therapy class that creates a safe and supportive space for young people to express themselves and remain active. The program helps them develop cognitive and physical skills for overall health and therapeutic benefits, while enjoying the pleasure of dance, music and movement in a social environment.

Survivor Foundation – $10,000

The Survivor Foundation supports victims of trauma and their families in their ongoing journey towards rehabilitation and an active lifestyle. In addition to providing core support for burn survivors, the organisation offers a program for all victims of any kind of trauma, abuse, illness or injury. This Community Grant will support the Integrative Therapeutic Program, which has demonstrated success in educating and empowering young trauma survivors and their families. With a therapeutic approach combining workshops and social interaction, the two-day program creates a safe environment for survivors to actively construct their own path to recovery through self-awareness and strong peer networks.

The Dungeon Youth Centre – $10,000

The Dungeon Youth Centre addresses the needs of young people in Ballajura, supporting young people’s development and wellbeing by empowering them to reassert control over their own lives. Their recreational and educational programs engage youth in positive participation, helping alleviate disadvantage and poverty and provide alternative learning opportunities. This Community Grant will support the Achieve Project, which engages 2,000 young people from Ballajura in workshops and activities to develop life and social skills. The program targets youth aged 12 to 17 and empowers them with knowledge about health and social issues so they can avoid high-risk behaviour and make positive life choices.

The Home Away from Home - Ronald McDonald House – $10,000

Ronald McDonald House helps seriously ill children and their families by providing accommodation for the relatives of children in hospital. The organisation delivers learning programs to help children transition back into school following their recovery. Ronald McDonald House also provides family retreats that allow families quality time together to reconnect outside of the hospital or home environment. This Community Grant will support a dedicated Learning Centre to run the Work of Heart Learning Program. This unique educational program aims to support families and minimise the impact of illness on a child's education, through engagement in literacy and numeracy activities as well as homework support and creative therapy.

The Smith Family – $10,000

The Smith Family works in 97 communities across Australia, helping young Australians in need participate fully in education and empowering them to improve their lives. The organisation’s Learning for Life program is designed to equip students with essential tools and support to complete their schooling, while strengthening their families and the communities in which they live. This Community Grant will help sponsor five financially disadvantaged students from the Western Australia Learning for Life program so that they can go on to study at university or TAFE. As well as helping with the cost of education-related expenses, the grant will help students benefit from a Learning for Life worker, who will monitor and encourage their progress to improve academic outcomes.

Women and Infants Research Foundation – $7,500

The Women and Infants Research Foundation supports research at King Edward Memorial Hospital and the School of Women's and Infant's Health at The University of Western Australia, focusing on major health issues affecting newborns, reproduction and women's health at all ages. The Foundation also helps to raise vital funds for equipment and provides support for patient care and disadvantaged families of newborn babies. This Community Grant will support the Baby Bundles Program to provide 1,200 sick and disadvantaged newborns with essential baby wear, blankets and other necessities for the first few weeks of their life. This initiative gives relief to mothers suffering financial hardship while ensuring the babies have the basic necessities for the best possible start in life.

Wongan Community Care – $8,500

Wongan Community Care supports children with disabilities who have limited access to early intervention services and equipment because they live in remote areas. WCC fills the gaps in service delivery with a range of programs designed to enable children to reach their potential and integrate into their schools and communities. WCC also aims to empower families with the necessary skills to advocate on behalf of their children. This Community Grant will support the Share it Around initiative to make essential therapy equipment and resources available to all community groups and families, relieving them of the considerable financial burden of purchasing them. Access to this equipment will help children achieve their therapy goals, which in turn will positively impact on their learning outcomes at home and at school.

Yakanarra Aboriginal Corp – $10,000

Yakanarra is an Indigenous community that aims to enhance sporting and cultural activities for the young people of the area. The community organises a range of recreational and sports events to encourage greater youth engagement in their community. In partnership with local schools, Yakanarra holds regular workshops to foster youth mentoring and build leadership skills. This Community Grant will help establish a Youth Drop In and Training Centre that will combine leadership workshops conducted by community Elders with field excursions to provide much needed recreation and instil cultural respect. By creating a supportive environment, young people will develop confidence and be empowered to make positive life choices.

Zero2Hero – $10,000

Zero2Hero delivers innovative educational programs to 2,000 high school students across Western Australia to raise awareness about mental health and wellbeing issues. With three programs operating throughout 60 schools, the organisation aims to reduce the incidence of bullying and its negative impact on mental health among teenagers. This Community Grant will support a weeklong camp, Camp Hero, for up to 80 nominated youth leaders between the ages of 13 and 17. Camp Hero builds leadership skills, and promotes self-awareness and communication around mental health and suicide prevention. Students receive crucial training in a range of health issues, and are instilled with the skills and confidence to share this knowledge with their peers, families and communities.